The MG Effect
by Yurii Savinov
Summary: Boris has unveiled his most deadly project yet: Project Branzer. 7 extremely deadly bladers with Black Dranzer's DNA in them and their destructive bit beasts. 5 have escaped though with no memory of their past, but Boris wants them back. DISCON.
1. Profile: Anya Slovanik

Pairs:  
TalaOC  
BrooklynOC  
SalimaOC  
MichaelOC  
KaiOC? (Maybe)

**Blader**

Name: Anya Jaye Slovanik

Age: 16

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Brown

Height: 5'7"

Nationality: Russian

**Bit Beast**

**Important Fact: Has twin phoenix bit beasts**

Bit Beast: Rycarraea (Rih-car-ay-uh)

Nickname: Ry

Species: Phoenix

Element: Fire/Wind

Gender: Male

Bit Beast: Kaexalea (Kay-zah-lee-uh)

Nickname: Kae

Species: Phoenix

Element: Ice/Wind

Gender: Male

**Rycarraea Attacks:  
**Wildfire Inferno (Offense, Fire)  
Eternal Flames Blaze (Offense, Fire)  
Torrid Volcanic Emission (Offense, Fire/Wind)  
Ring of Fire (Defense, Fire)

**Kaexalea Attacks:  
**Avalanche Windstorm (Offense, Ice/Wind)  
Kamikaze Torrent (Offense, Wind)  
Everest Blizzard (Offense, Ice)  
Tempest Glacier (Defense, Ice/Wind)

**Team Attacks:  
**Yin Yang Fire Blizzard (Offense, Fire/Ice)  
Gemini Element Cannon (Offense, Fire/Ice/Wind)  
Yin and Yang Survivor Spiral (Ultimate Defense, Ice/Fire)  
Twin Phoenix Parallel Wave (Ultimate Attack, Fire/Ice/Wind)

**Blade**

Model: Rycarraea Tempest, Rycarraea Tempest X

Colors: Black, Red, Sapphire

**Stats**

Attack: 4 stars

Defense: 3 stars

Endurance: 1 star

**Other Facts**

Birthmarks/Tattoos: Red, gold and blue phoenix tattoo on left shoulder

Bit Beast: Has twin phoenixes

Connections to Abbey: Unknown

Other abilities: Can merge with one bit beast


	2. Blitzkrieg GIRL?

Wolf's Guardian Angel

"Wolborg, Novae Rog!" Tala yelled to his bit beast. At the moment, he was training in the forest at the base of the mountain, perfecting his wolf bit beast's final assailing. A howling sound belonging to a wolf rang out as it unleashed the attack. Tala smiled at his bit beast as snowflakes started to fall. It was just another day of a frigid Russian winter, nothing new today. Tala picked up his blade to launch again when the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow caught his attention. He looked over his shoulder to see a dark figure moving swiftly and silently through the trees behind him. Growing wary, he slotted the blade into his launcher, ready to fire. Out of nowhere, a black and silver streak whizzed by his head, his genetically enhanced reflexes making him launch his blade at the opposing blade, hitting it dead-on. A cloaked figure stepped into the clearing that the wolf had been training in. He couldn't see their face, for it was hidden by a hood.

"It's been a while, Valkov."

"Who are you?" Tala demanded, trying to conceal the slight panic that had set in.

The person laughed menacingly.

"Tell you what, battle me. If you win, I tell you who I am. But if I win... Wolborg is mine."

"Not on your life."

"I'm afraid you have no other choice."

All of the sudden, a black aura shot out of the person's blade, surrounding the area. Tala growled under his breath and prepared to launch.

"3, 2, 1, LET IT RIIIIIIP!"

* * *

Meanwhile, a brunette girl of 16 froze in her tracks, something catching her supersharp hearing's attention. A brief second later, the sound of a wolf's howl was followed by the roar of an all too familiar bit beast. _Not again...

* * *

_

Tala sank to one knee in pain, but forced himself to his feet again. Whoever the person was, they were good. Very good. And he was taking a brutal beating too.

"Dryzalaia, final attack! Dark Tempest!"

"Wolborg!"

As Dryzalaia launched the attack not at Wolborg, but at Tala, his bit beast glanced back at its master, realizing the danger he was in from the dark panther bit beast's attack. In one valiant move, Wolborg leaped in front of Tala, taking the full force of the blow.

"NO!"

Wolborg hit the ground, defeated. Tala, badly weakened from the battle, collapsed on the ground into the snow.

"Now your wolf is mine."

_No..._

"Get away from him! Rycarraea, attack!" He heard a female voice yell angrily, which was followed by a shrill war cry very similar to the one his teammate Kai's bit beast Dranzer made. Dryzalaia roared as whatever emitted the shriek unleashed an attack he could only listen to, apparently winning the battle. As the footsteps belonging to the mystery blader faded away, another set ran over to him. In the background, he could hear rumbling.

**Tala...** Wolborg managed to murmur weakly.

_Wolborg... Hang on..._

Tala felt someone turn him over and gently raise him in their arms. He blacked out just as the person pressed his blade into his hand.

* * *

Back at the Blitzkrieg Boys' place, Bryan was staring out the window for no reason whatsoever, but was abruptly snapped out of his trance when an avalanche came hurtling down the mountain a few miles off. "Holy shit! That was where Tala was training!" The others ran to the window as the snowy landslide raced down the mountain. They didn't notice the winged figure gliding away with a second figure in their arms.

* * *

_Ugh... What happened?_

Tala opened his eyes again to be greeted by a fire's light.

**Master?**

_I don't know. _He cut the wolf off.

Tala looked around to see that he was back in his room with a fire in the fireplace. Someone opened the door as he sat up, rubbing his head where he'd gotten a hit from Dryzalaia. It turned out to be Bryan.

"About time you woke up, you had all of us worried sick. We thought you were dead."

"What the hell happened?"

"Got me. Something happened, and it caused an avalanche. We found you in your room and the window was open." Tala swung his legs over the side of the bed.

"That's ridiculous."

"Well then, I don't know what else to tell you. Hurry up and get ready, we have to meet Mr. D about something."

With that, Bryan left the room.

_That's really strange...

* * *

_

"WHAT!"

Mr. Dickenson took off his glasses and cleaned them.

"I'm sorry Tala, but this year the teams need to have 5 people on them."

"And where the heck are we supposed to find another blader?"

"I've already arranged for a Ms. Anya Slovanik to come here."

"_Ms?_ As in, a GIRL?"

"That's right."

Tala slapped his forehead.

"I don't believe this."

"I have her profile right here, she's exceptionally good, she could easily be in the top leagues with the rest of you boys."

The Blitzkrieg Boys looked at the monitor as a contour appeared. There was no information on her bit beast nor was there a profile picture. Someone opened the door to the office. Mr. D looked up.

"Hello Anya, just in time."

* * *

Tala looked over the newest team member. She was dressed in a black and silver hooded parka and navy blue cargoes. Her long brown hair coming down past her shoulders to just above her mid back was down, making several locks of hair fall over her blazing blue eyes. Around her neck was a strange pendant. It was a yin yang, but rather than black and white, it was made of 2 phoenixes, a blue one and a red one. The red one had a blue eye and the blue one a red eye. What really got him were her brilliant eyes, the ones even more radiant than his own.

"Boys, this is Anya Slovanik. Anya, this is Tala, Spencer, Bryan and Kai."

"Hey guys." She said smiling. The thing about her smile was that it wasn't cheery, it looked sort of smirkish.

"THIS is our new teammate?" Tala snorted in disgust.

"You got a problem with that, Red?" She said back. Her tone was cool, quiet and deadly. In fact, it was so calm it was threatening.

_Red?_

She leaned against the wall behind her, a patient expression on her face.

"Hmph." Was all Tala responded with.

"I didn't think so." She hissed and closed her eyes.

Tala was suddenly infuriated at her attitude.

"What the hell is your problem!"

Anya opened her eyes.

"I suggest we take this outside."

* * *

The next thing the team knew, both Tala and Anya were in their bladers' stances, ready to battle.

"Tala, you can't battle just after you got hurt from that last one!" Bryan pointed out.

"Shaddup."

"3, 2, 1, LET IT RIIIIIPPP!"

The two unleashed their blades, Anya immediately going for the defense.

"Wolborg, attack!"

"Kaexalea, attack!"

Both bladers' bit beasts emerged from their bit chips, Anya's Kaexalea being an Ice phoenix much to Kai's surprise. The phoenix was an icy blue color, decorated with silver armor and marks on its body, either black or sapphire. A white mane flowed out like Dranzer's from under its silver crest, and like the phoenix it resembled on Anya's pendant, it had piercing red eyes. Tala noted that the blue phoenix and the red phoenix's eye on Anya's pendant glowed as Kaexalea was released. As the two Ice types clashed, getting nowhere, Anya made an interesting and shocking move.

"Kaexalea, retreat!"

The Ice phoenix obeyed, once again returning to the containment of its bit chip.

"Rycarraea, your turn!"

This time, the red phoenix and the blue phoenix's eye on her pendant glowed as a _second bit beast emerged from the bit chip._

**Wait... Rycarraea? Wasn't that the name of the bit beast that saved us?**

"Rycarraea, throw him off!"

The Fire phoenix shrieked. It was identical to Kaexalea except that Rycarraea had royal crimson feathers, gold armor and the marks on its body were a very dark crimson color. This phoenix had icy blue eyes, the same as Anya's. Just as Tala snapped out of his trance-like stare at the majestic bird of Fire, it came crashing down on Wolborg. Thankfully, bit beasts healed far faster than their masters, so he wasn't too badly hurt by the blow, but nonetheless, Tala was defeated. Rycarraea returned to his mistress, who wore a triumphant smirk on her face. That was when Kai stepped in.

"How is it that you have two bit beasts, let alone twin phoenixes?"

Anya shrugged.

"To tell you the honest-to-god truth, I don't know. My hunch is that it has something to do with the spilt-colored bit chip and my pendant."

Sure enough, the phoenix portrait on the bit chip was divided by an unseen line. On one side, it was just like Kaexalea and the other was like Rycarraea.

"Your guess is as good as mine. All I know is that those two phoenixes are brothers with one missing." Anya said pocketing her blade and launcher.

"Do you know who their triplet is?"

"Some phoenix called Black Dranzer."


	3. Branzer

Wolf's Guardian Angel

The whole team was taken aback by Anya's comment.

"Black Dranzer? Are you sure?" Kai muttered disbelievingly.

"Why's that so hard to believe?" She snapped back.

That was when Tala stepped in.

"HELLO? Anyone in there? Black Dranzer is ONLY the dark replica of Dranzer, the bird is EVIL."

Anya folded her arms.

"I'm aware of that. Besides, I don't have Black Dranzer now, do I. So quit being so paranoid."

Silence.

"Good answer."

_Dream_

"_Raidraia! Thunder Claw!"_

"_Kaexalea, Rycarraea, attack together! Yin Yang Fire Blizzard!"_

_As the 3 bit beasts hurtled towards each other, the two phoenixes flew in a spiral, creating a red and blue beam and unleashing a massive blizzard of ice and fire. Raidraia roared as it was defeated in a spectacular explosion of red-hot snow._

_Anya picked up her blade as the hologram helmet was taken off of her head. Still weak from the last test, she collapsed to her knees. All of the sudden, she was falling through pitch black. She closed her eyes, expecting the end, but it didn't come. She opened her eyes again to find herself face-to-face with Kaexalea and Rycarraea. The two phoenixes stared down at her, leaving Anya in a state of awe. She knew the two like her flesh and blood, but this was overwhelming._

_**Mistress. **They said together._

_**You have proven yourself worthy of being our master. But...**_

_Anya cringed at the last, harsh syllable._

_**We are still incomplete. Find our brother the Black phoenix.**_

"_How do I do that?"_

_**Recover what you have lost, find your memory.**_

_The next thing Anya knew, she was running down a hallway, yelling the name "Saidran!" Why was that name so hauntingly familiar?_

"_Anya!" A boy called out. She looked to the end of the hallway to see a hazy figure of a boy silhouetted by a light. As hard as she ran, she only seemed to get further away._

_Suddenly... CRASH!_

"AHHH!"

Anya awoke with a start, sitting bolt upright in her bed with a cold sweat on her face. It had all been a dream... a very strange and disturbingly familiar dream... Now that she had been thoroughly unnerved, Anya noiselessly got up and got dressed in her street clothes and slipped outside. It was still snowing lightly, and Anya folded her arms to keep herself warmer. Her pendant gave off a soft glow as Rycarraea emerged, using his fire to warm his mistress.

_I had that dream again, Ry._

**I know.**

_Ry, get Kae, will you? _(Key: _blader **Kaexalea **_**Rycarraea**)

_**You called, Mistress?**_

**She had The Dream again.**

_**That always creeps me out.**_

_It gets weirder every time, and I still can't figure out why in the world that Saidran kid is in there. DAMN IT!_

Growing increasingly frustrated, Anya pulled out her blade and launcher and slotted her blade, the new one called Rycarraea Tempest X, and launched it with ease. The bit chip started to glow as the two phoenixes emerged from the split bit chip. For some reason, the two opposites always seemed to balance her out.

Tala woke up early the next morning to see that it had stopped snowing outside. Going to wake the others, he found that Anya wasn't in her room. Upon further venturing, he found her up on the roof. _How the hell did she get up there?_

"Hey, get down from there, we have to start training!" He shouted up to the silent phoenix. Anya just looked down at him as if to say "Who, me?"

"I'm talking to you, jackass!"

"You know, for someone in no position to be getting me down, I suggest you watch what you say to me." She said calmly. Too calmly.

"Well, you're not joining the team if you don't participate."

"As great an opportunity as that sounds, I suppose I have no other choice."

"Then get down from there? Or are you stuck?" He smirked at the last half of his rebuttal.

"Just don't call me a showoff when I get down."

"Whatever."

To his surprise, Anya leapt off the roof doing two frontal flips before landing gracefully on her feet in the snow in a crouching position, just like a cat.

"Showoff."

Anya's eye twitched.

"It's only fair to warn you, I have an extremely short fuse for assholes like you, don't make me get physical."

"Was that a threat?"

"Dude, I could kick your ass any day of the week."

"You wish."

"Oh, so you _want_ me to prove it?" She asked in a placidly amused tone as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail she had on her wrist.

"Man, this is going to be a looooong day."

Back inside, Tala returned with Anya who apparently had been sitting outside of quite some time, judging by the snowflakes in her hair.

_She must have been out there all night._ Kai thought to himself.

"So, what's the plan for today?" Spencer asked still half-asleep.

"Tests, tests and more tests."

The others looked at him quizzically.

"We still have to figure out what this _girl_ can do." He said adding disgusted emphasis on the word 'girl'.

Anya groaned in frustration.

"I swear, if this sexist bullshit business about me being a girl keeps up I'm going to-"

Tala cut her off with a glare. Anya returned the glare, her icy blue eyes flickering in fury. "Both of you knock it off." Kai growled.

That only made the two glare at him, and Kai remained silent.

"You're both acting like children. If we're going to go through with these test, I suggest both of you cool it." Spencer's tone carried a threatening vibe to it.

It was at that exact moment that the wind and snow started to pick up outside. Tala looked over to Anya.

"You got lucky."

She smirked in response, then walked off.

Back in her room, Anya was hacking into the old Abbey files looking at Kae's and Ry's triplet's profile.

**Black Dranzer Stats**

Name: Black Dranzer

Also known as: Branzer

Species: Phoenix

Element: Dark/Shadow/Wind

Gender: Male

Attacks:

Dark Saber (Offense)

Shadow Arrows (Offense)

Eclipse Emission (Offense)

Spiral Survivor (Defense)

Other:

Not related to Dranzer

Eldest triplet of 3 phoenixes

Relatives: Rycarraea (Fire/Wind), Kaexalea (Ice/Wind)

_So, Black Dranzer basically a darker, more powerful version of Kai's Dranzer._ She thought to herself. _And since Kaexalea is younger than Ry, that means they were born in order Dark, Fire, and Ice. Interesting..._

Mind racing and hands flying over the keys, Anya ventured further into the files and gasped when she saw the list of previous wielders of the Dark Phoenix. The most recent entry was Kai Hiwatari.

It was some time later that Tala saw Anya emerge from her room and head in the direction of the gym. Growing somewhat curious, he followed her after a few minutes. She was working out and to his utter shock, she was benching over 100 pounds! The only other person that could do that was Spencer, but Anya made it look easy. After a moment or two, she set down the weights and went to work on the punching bag in the corner. Unlike Kai, who usually boxed at it for hours on end, Anya used a series of kickboxing, martial arts and boxing moves to beat the stuffing out of it. What really caught Tala's attention was –now that she had on a training shirt that bared her shoulders- that there was a tattoo on her left shoulder, a red, blue and black phoenix.

_Snap out of it._

Unfortunately, that got him to staring at her figure. Each time she swung a kick or a punch at the punching bag, her back muscles would tense. She was built like a gymnast, strong, flexible, and extremely agile. Hell, she almost looked like a ninja. What was really impressive was the smooth, fluid rhythm she moved in.

_What the hell am I doing?_ Tala forced himself out of his stare and kept on walking.

Anya kept swinging punch after punch at the black punching bag, trying to get the blood flowing to try and get an idea as to how in the word Black Dranzer, or Branzer, could possibly be related to her bit beasts.

_Kaexalea, Rycarraea, and Black Dranzer. It just doesn't sound right..._


	4. The Circus and the Battle

Remembering what day it was today, Anya woke up bright and early to pack her work clothing and change. In her bag, she threw in a change of clothing, her costume, and a pair of leather fingerless gloves. The attire she was to walk outside in was hidden under a shin-length black coat with a high collar, but it did nothing to cover the rest of her legs, betraying a skintight black suit with electric blue lightning bolt patterns on them. Just for good measure, she threw her blade and pendant into her backpack before heading out the door of her room.

Downstairs, Tala was still half-asleep and grumbling while waiting for the others to get up. Kai wasn't saying anything and stared out the window. Someone came downstairs, turning out to be Anya. For some reason, she was dressed up in a black coat.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Out. I have work."

Tala eyed her suspiciously. She had a backpack on filled with who-knows-what.

"Where would that be?"

"No place of interest."

Kai looked up from his stare outside as the others came downstairs. Bryan raised an eyebrow upon seeing the bit of suit the coat didn't cover.

"What the hell is with the getup?"

Anya cringed, and Tala laughed mockingly at her when he saw it too. She sighed and unzipped the jacket, showing the full suit. It was all black except for the lightning bolt patterns on it. Around her waist, there was a jagged belt the color of sapphire.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen! Where do you work, the circus?"

To everyone's utter shock, she said with an incredibly straight face, "Yes."

Everyone sweatdropped, then Anya dug into her pocket and withdrew several slips of paper, slapping them on the counter.

"What are you, a clown?" Tala asked in mocking amusement.

"If you're so curious to know, why don't you use those tickets that got shoved into my hands?" She asked calmly as she gestured to the papers with her eyes before walking out the door without another word.

The Blitzkrieg Boys all exchanged looks as the door shut behind their new teammate. Tala smirked.

"This could make for some very amusing torment."

"Hey Anya, you made it!" Anya's partner Peter greeted her. He was about 20 years old and was her partner for their act, which came right after the tightrope walkers. He and Anya did their 'secret handshake' before Anya kept walking over to her locker and opened it, putting in her backpack and withdrawing a box of face paints. On the left side of her face, she painted a design like a dragon's wing with several shades of blue with some glitter added on beside her eye. Pulling her hair back into a short braid, she walked out into the spotlight as their act was called.

Up in the stands, the Blitzkrieg Boys watched as Anya and her partner walked out into the ring. The man was dressed exactly like Anya, but his suit was backwards to hers, mostly blue with black lightning bolt patterns.

"This, ladies and gents, is our balancing strongman/woman act. Weighing in at 200 pounds, age 20, is Peter Nickolai! And his lovely partner, weighing in at 135 pounds, age 16, is Anya Slovanik!"

(**A/N: Yep, she's pretty heavy, muscle weighs a lot, and she has to be strong for this kind of job!**)

It started off with the two dancing around the ring, and then it got interesting.

Pulling off the first few moves was easy, Anya usually being the one lifted up. Then it got to the reverse. Peter let her down to the ground. She lay down and put her arms at a 90 degree angle with the ground. Peter took them and pulled into a handstand on her hands as Anya slowly got to her feet, holding Peter up over her head. The crowd applauded, and then Peter grabbed one of Anya's hands as she took one away. The applause grew louder as they saw that Anya was holding her 200 pound partner in one hand. She was sweating a bit and her arm was ever so slightly shaking, but nonetheless she was pulling off the move.

From the stands, most of the Blitzkrieg Boys had widened eyes. They knew that Anya was strong, but not _that_ strong. Anya let her partner down as they went for the last move. They pulled off the same move with Anya up over Peter's head, but as soon their hands were adjoined, Peter lowered Anya down so that their lips met.

The audience "awwww"-ed, then applauded like crazy when they let go of one another's hands, balancing by only their mouths. Tala looked back at the others when the two balancing strong partners left the ring. All of them were clearly awed, even Kai looked very impressed.

_It's probably best that you don't tease her after the show._ Wolborg chuckled and winked.

**Shut up wolf.**

The next act was the pole climbers, then the final act was announced to be the Escape Artist. Supposedly, this would be the first show that they had the act. To the team's surprise, it was Anya! She came out dressed in an all-black skintight bodysuit with a brown vest over it. In the center of the ring, she was handcuffed, shackled and chained, all topped off with a blindfold. She was then put into a locked steel box with no air holes.

"Anya has only 60 seconds to escape before the box bursts into flames! Start the countdown!"

The audience started to count down aloud. As soon as they reached 15, the door opened, and Anya emerged with a triumphant smile on her pretty face. 15 seconds later, the box was engulfed in flames. The crowd cheered as the rest of the circus joined Anya in the ring and the end of the show was announced. The team stood there a moment or two, still dumbfounded.

Back in the locker rooms, Anya was getting pats on the back and wows from everyone. Her good friend Tanya ran up to her. She was the knife thrower.

"Anya! That was so amazing!"

Anya smiled.

"Glad you liked it. By the way, I'm starting to get the hang of those tricks you taught me about knife throwing."

The two talked for a bit until Tanya had to go.

"See you next time!"

Anya went back to her locker and changed into the clothes she'd brought –Navy blue cargoes, shin-high black boots with 3 silver buckles, and her black long sleeved shirt- The shirt was her favorite one. It had a high collar and flared sleeves, but the part she really liked was that in the back it was designed like her long coat, which came up in a point to the front so that it was a midriff as well. Over the collar, she put on her pendant and on her hands were her black fingerless bladers' gloves. Her pocket was heavy with her blade and launcher as she slung her backpack over her shoulder.

Outside, a thin layer of snow made her footsteps make a slight crunching sound as she drifted into the crowd out to the street where she knew she could get a bus that would get her only 1 block from home. As she kept walking, she saw two kids blading nearby. One of the boys, a blonde, the elder of probably 8 years old, knocked the other boy's out of the area and into the street. The little brunette boy, probably 6 or 7, ran out into the street to retrieve his gray blade as a truck came hurtling down the road right at him! In one fearless impulse, Anya dropped her backpack and bolted into the road, tackling the kid out of the way just before he got hit by the car.

"Are you ok?" She asked. While in the tackling sequence, she had gotten into a position where she was holding him in her arms.

"Y-y-yeah..." He stammered, staring wide-eyed up at the blue-eyed girl that had just saved him.

From behind her, Anya heard the other boy run up.

"Brandon!" He yelled as Anya turned around.

She let the boy down and he ran to his brother.

"Thanks, miss! Um, what's your name?"

"Anya."

"I'm Travis. Hey, you were in the show!"

"Yep."

"Hey, what about my blade?" Brandon solicited.

His brother picked up the smashed remains of his blade, and Brandon looked about ready to cry. His blade had been damaged beyond any hopes of repair.

Searching for Anya, Tala wandered around and eventually found her. She was kneeling in front of two small boys, one of them looking ready to cry. She reached into her pocket and withdrew her blade. To his surprise, she detached the bit chip and gave her blade to the boy, whose face lit up with a grin.

"There you go." Anya said with a warm smile. Brandon's face lit up with a 1000-watt grin and he hugged her.

"Thank you!"

The two raced off to try out Brandon's new blade, but ran into someone. Anya stood up to find herself staring Kai and the others in the face. Tala was off somewhere else.

Brandon cowered behind Anya's leg, while Travis studied the others, then kept his gaze on Spencer before smiling.

"Hey big brother!"

Spencer rolled his eyes, but Anya knew he was forcing back a smile.

"We have to be getting back now, Anya." Kai stated flatly.

Anya managed a nonchalant shrug.

Back at the team's place, Anya retreated to her room for a few hours while Spencer somehow got talked into hanging out with his little brothers.

_That was very generous of you to give Brandon your blade._

**Well, I had to get on using my prototype anyway, Ry.**

_**Hey, what about me?**_

**Kae, I was talking to your brother.**

_You're such a pest, Kae._

_**Are not!**_

_Are too!_

Anya groaned as her bit beasts started squabbling like children.

"Got it!" She shouted victoriously as she put the finishing touches on her prototype blade.

**Rycarraea, Kaexalea, meet your new home the Phoenix Strata.**

_**Sweet! Now it's not named after Ry! IN YOUR FACE!**_

Anya sighed and shook her head as the two brothers started bickering again.

Nearly 3 hours after Anya had withdrawn to her room, she finally emerged again.

"Nice going, Slovanik. You took so long in there we already have to get going to the Bladebreakers' place." Tala snapped at the phoenixes' wielder.

"Oops." She retorted as innocently as she could, and she sounded pretty convincing.

At Tyson's dojo, Anya was introduced to the others. Their new teammate was an American named Jolt, who had a Husky bit beast called Juneau. The instant she was introduced to Tyson, he scoffed.

"A _girl?_ The Blitzkrieg BOYS have a GIRL on their team?" He choked through laughter before drawling on about how he, the World Champ, could beat a girl any day.

Anya, growing very impatient and pissed off with Tyson's gloating and impudence, shot Tyson a glare so cold his immediately stopped laughing and cowered behind Spencer, who pushed him out in front of Anya, who was smirking in this seriously sinister way that scared the crap out of Tyson. Tala was biting his lip to keep from laughing at Tyson's reaction to Anya's diabolical smirk. Tyson snapped out of it and whipped out Dragoon.

"I bet I can beat you in a beybattle!"

Anya raised an eyebrow and smirked at his challenge.

"You're going to regret that little statement."

Outside, the two were in their bladers' stances, ready to launch.

"Before we start, I'm telling you in advance. No holding back, hit me with everything you've got!" Tyson shouted with an annoyingly cocky tone.

"Just don't cry when I beat you." Anya replied with a smirk.

"Like you could."

"I don't know about you, but let's make this serious."

"How serious?"

"Like we were competing for the title of World Champion."

"You're on."

"3, 2, 1, LET IT RIIIIIIIIIIIIPP!"

The two bladers launched their blades in unison.

"Kaexalea, attack!"

Tyson gasped in surprise as Anya's black-sapphire-and-red blade attacked Dragoon from every angle with amazing speed and dead-on accuracy.

"Dragoon, evade!"

Dragoon somehow managed to start dodging the attacks, Kaexalea's attempts starting to become more out of impatience.

"Dragoon, Hyper Victory Tornado!"

"Kaexalea, Everest Blizzard!"

The center of both blades glowed as the Wind dragon and the Ice phoenix emerged from their bit chips. The blue phoenix and the eye glowed on Anya's pendant as Kaexalea emerged. "Dragoon, now!"

"Kae!"

The phoenix emanated a war cry as it unleashed a massive blizzard with gale force winds and raging snow and ice. Dragoon's tornado did nothing to stop the attack as the blizzard hit Dragoon and the tornado struck Kaexalea.

"ATTACK!" Both yelled in unison.

Watching from the sidelines, it was no surprise to Kai to see that Tyson hadn't gotten his ass kicked yet. When a blader was being as focused and dead serious like Tyson was now, that was when their true power and potential was really revealed. The two bladers were sporting numerous injuries from the intensity of the match, but neither looked ready to give in anytime soon.

"Dragoon, Galaxy Storm!"

A raging storm of wind was unleashed from Dragoon. Anya shielded her face from the debris flying through the air by using her arm as a shield.

"Kaexalea! Stand down and switch!"

The Ice phoenix shrieked as it retreated to its bit chip again.

_Why did she call him back?_ Tyson wondered.

His question was answered when the center of Anya's blade and the red on her pendant glowed as _another bit beast emerged from her beyblade._

"Rycarraea, Torrid Volcanic Emission!"

The Fire phoenix screamed a blood-chilling war cry as it set free a massive inferno of fire and magma. The once-frigid atmosphere from Kaexalea's Everest Blizzard was replaced by sweltering hot air as Dragoon was hit hard by the Fire attack.

"Dragoon, Galaxy Turbo Twister!"

"Rycarraea, Ring of Fire!"

As Dragoon threw a cyclone at Rycarraea, the phoenix responded by curling into a ball with its wings encircling itself as a ring of flames formed around it. The whirlwind hit the flames, canceling out just as the defense intended.

"Enough playing around! Kaexalea, get ready for a team attack!"

The second phoenix emerged from the bit chip, joining its brother and preparing to launch one of their famous team attacks.

"Rycarraea, Kaexalea, Gemini Element Cannon!"

The two phoenixes took off into the skies as they started to glow the color of their dominant element, flying and spinning so that they formed a double helix of energy as they merged together. A flash of blinding light died to reveal a huge, majestic phoenix bearing the likeness of both phoenixes.

"**ATTACK!**"

The enormous phoenix cried a war cry, sounding like two phoenixes at once as it threw its head back, then forward again as it streaked towards Dragoon surrounded by the energies of Fire, Ice, and Wind.

"Dragoon!"

Anya's phoenix rammed into Dragoon with such power, it collapsed into its bit chip before it could roar in pain. While everyone's attention had been on the bit beasts, Anya had hit Tyson's blade so hard that it had ceased to spin, and it was sustaining damages so severe it looked hopelessly beyond repair. All eyes fell on Anya, whose eyes and pendant were glowing. Her two twin bit beasts came apart and retreated back to the solitary confinements of their bit chip. Anya's eyes reverted back to normal, and she picked up her blade.

"Thought you could beat me 'cause I'm a girl. Think again."

Tyson bent down to pick up his blade, but as soon as he touched it, it shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces. The bit chip, thankfully, remained integral. The teams stared at Anya, who walked by with only a blasé expression.

_Nice job, guys. I'm proud of you._


	5. Babysitting and Payback

"92... 93... 94..." Anya grunted as she continued benching.

This was all part of her training to keep her strength for her strongwoman act. At the moment, she was benching 130 pounds. Anya didn't know how she got her strength, hell, she didn't even know her real last name. The thing was, she was abnormally strong and didn't know it. The Blitzkrieg Boys hadn't dared provoke her anger after

1) Seeing her immense physical strength in action

2) Seeing her kick Tyson's ass past Pluto in 2 minutes flat

The day was still young, 6 am to be exact, and Anya was very much awake and completing her exercises. After showering off and getting dressed –black skintight mock-turtleneck, navy blue cargoes, and black boots with 3 silver buckles. Over her black shirt she wore a brown vest with several pockets that came down to the middle of her upper arm and, as always, wore her pendant- she came downstairs to see only Kai up and awake.

"G'morning."

Kai didn't respond. Anya just shrugged it off and made breakfast. Checking her watch, she saw that it was only 7 am. Kai headed outside with Dranzer for practice, Anya pulled out her blade and looked at it. The phoenix on the bit chip shimmered before its eyes glowed.

_**Hey Anya.**_

**Oh, hey Kae.**

_Did I miss anything?_

**Nope. You're just in time, Ry.**

_**Do you follow me everywhere!**_

_Yep._

**Both of you, stop acting like children.**

The two brothers shut up.

**So, who wants to fly today?**

Both phoenixes immediately leapt into the bit chip, wanting to be released.

Just waking up, Tala came downstairs to see nobody there.

_Kai must already be awake._

The front door slammed, sparking his curiosity. Tala walked down to the door and cracked the door ever so slightly. Anya was standing there, holding her pendant in one hand. A blinding flash of red light temporarily stunned the wolf, and when it disappeared, so had Anya! Puzzled, he opened the door all the way to find nothing. Not footprints, blade or otherwise.

_Ok, THAT was weird._

Feeling the icy cold Russian air lifting her up, Anya spread her arms as she rode on the wings of the Ice Phoenix. Beside her, Rycarraea flew parallel, the size of a gyrfalcon. Closing her eyes, Anya let the feeling of a jet stream of wind picking her up. The advantage of all those hours of meditating- the ability to physically merge with either one of her phoenixes at one time. Touching down on solid ground, her body arched forward as Kaexalea withdrew from her back.

"Man, I'm never going to get used to that."

Back at the house, Tala was looking seriously pissed off as he was reading a letter from home.

"What's his problem?" Anya whispered to Bryan.

"Tala just got a letter from his aunt that she needs him to baby-sit his little bitch cousins."

"And he's acting in accordance with this dumbass job... _why_?"

"I don't know. Ask him, but it's your funeral."

Anya shrugged.

"STUPID BITCH OF AN AUNT! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT MOTHER-FUCKING SHITBAG!"

"Dude, calm down before I call the guys in the white coats." Said Anya derisively.

"Do you have any idea what my cousins are like? THEY'RE FUCKING DEMONS!"

(smirk) "Kinda like you?"

Tala's eye twitched.

"Why are you even complying to begin with?"

"Classified information."

"Whatever." Anya started to walk away when Tala grabbed her arm.

"And you guys have to help me out."

Anya shot him a look as if to say "Are you fucking crazy!"

"Last time I checked, YOU had to baby-sit, not us." She snapped.

"Uh, Anya," Spencer cut in, "The last time this happened, he took out his unending wrath in a training session. NOT pretty."

Tala let go of Anya's arm.

"Fine. But if these cousins of yours are really like you say they are, don't get mad at me if I make them cry. I have a VERY short fuse, and I'm not afraid to unleash MY unending wrath on your FACE if it backfires to the point that it puts the Challenger space shuttle to shame."

**THE NEXT DAY**

"I should have taken the training session." Anya groaned.

"Shut up."

At the moment, 3 of Tala's 7 cousins were screwing around with Anya's hair, putting it up, taking it down, then putting it back up again, and it was rather painful. They were doing the same thing to a very ticked-off Bryan.

"I'm going to have a migraine for weeks." She moaned rubbing her sore head when the girls got bored and ran off to torment someone else. While Bryan managed to get away from the others, Anya put her hair up in a French braid so no one else would be tempted to pull it. It was total chaos inside the house, and at the moment, Anya was about ready to explode. She walked over to Tala, who had just pulled a pair of scissors from his youngest cousin's grip.

"I don't suppose you have any more brilliant ideas to get them to shut up?" She yelled over the noise.

"Shut up!"

Anya pondered a second.

"Are they interested in blading?"

"You are NOT going to battle one of them."

"Who said anything about battling them? Just round the brats up and get them outside."

**5 MINUTES LATER**

"What the hell are you doing?" Tala demanded while the kids were sitting outside, wondering what was so significant about the dish in front of them.

"Just shut up and find someone to battle me. I'm going to entertain these brats in the only way I know how." She said with a smirk as she loaded the Phoenix Strata blade into her launcher. Her opponent wound up being Spencer.

"3, 2, 1, LET IT RIIIIIIIIIIIPP!"

The two bladers let their blades loose in the dish, making the Valkov kids immediately start paying attention.

"Seaborg, attack!"

"Rycarraea, counter!"

The two blades continued duking it out in the dish, clashing like crazy as the kids started rooting for either Spencer or Anya, it was more girls vs. boys type thing.

"Seaborg, Stramolyu Attack!"

"Rycarraea, Wildfire Inferno!"

The two blades started to glow the colors of their attacks' elements. Spencer's blade unleashed a wave of water while Anya's blade was engulfed in a raging blaze.

"ATTACK!"

The two attacks clashed, creating a stunning display of lights, but no winner.

"Hey kids, you wanna see a couple of real, live bit beasts?" Anya asked turning to the kids with a smirk.

"YEAH!"

"Seaborg!"

"Rycarraea!"

The centers of their blades glowed as the whale and phoenix emerged.

"WHOA..." The kids gawked in awe of the two enormous bit beasts.

"Rycarraea, attack!"

"Seaborg, counterattack!"

The phoenix threw its head back and shrieked as it slammed Seaborg clear out of the dish. By now, the kids were all cheering, well, the girls were.

"Nice try, Spencer."

He just shrugged and put his blade back into his pocket.

"Hey Tala, you battle 'er!" One kid shouted.

That got the whole group started.

"Nah."

Anya smirked and folded her arms.

"What? The great Tala Valkov is afraid of losing to a GIRL?" She asked with sarcastic emphasis on girl.

"Bring it on!" He growled as he loaded Wolborg into his launcher.

"3, 2, 1, LET IT RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPPP!"

As the two started to battle and the kids cheered, Rycarraea made an interesting comment.

_Are you really going to go through with this?_

**What's that supposed to mean?**

_**I think he means that it would be pretty low to beat him in front of all his cousins even though we could easily win.**_

Anya pondered this for a moment.

**Someone has to teach him a lesson, and I'm going to be the one to do it.**

"Rycarraea, Wildfire Inferno!"

"Wolborg, evade!"

The dish was suddenly engulfed in the inferno, making it extremely hard to see the two blades in the middle. Wolborg was dodging like crazy while Anya made it look like she was having some difficulty finding the wolf.

"ATTACK!" She rammed into Tala's blade hard, but not hard enough to win the match.

"Wolborg, attack!"

"Rycarraea, switch!"

The center of Anya's glowing blade switched from crimson to sapphire blue as Kaexalea took over.

"ATTACK!" The two bladers shouted simultaneously.

The blades charged, Kaexalea making a much harder impact. The force of the hit stunned Wolborg, giving Anya the window of opportunity to start striking from every angle with incredible speed and dead-on accuracy.

"Wolborg-"

Before he could call out the final attack, a third blade came into the dish and hit both of the others back. Tala and Anya looked to the tree on their left to see someone leap down, followed by another. Both were clad in black cloaks, hiding their faces.

"You again!" Tala yelled as Anya picked up their blades and handed Tala his.

The leader smirked.

"Happy to see us, Valkov?"

"Which one?" One of the kids asked innocently.

A pressure point appeared on the leader's head.

"Anyway, we want the girl as well."

"You want me, you'll have to catch me first!" Anya yelled.

Rycarraea leapt from her bit chip, glowing red as he jumped into her back, giving Anya wings!

"What the fuck?" The leader yelled as she took off.

"You've forgotten, I can merge with my bit beasts!" She yelled smirking as she flew off at a very high speed into the forest behind the house.

"Get the others back inside, I have to follow Anya!" Tala ordered the others.

They obeyed without hesitation, and the kids were unusually cooperative, as if they knew something was wrong. Tala took off after his teammate as the cloaked figures did the same.

Weaving in and out of the trees, Anya was very surprised to see how well her pursuers were keeping up. She came to a clearing and whirled around to face the ones stalking her.

"Got ya." The leader said with a smirk.

Anya's eyes started to glow red and a wind formed around her.

"Flying isn't all the merge does for me."

As Tala caught up to the cloaked bladers, he heard what sounded like the roar of a tornado. Coming into a clearing, what he saw was shocking beyond words. Anya, who still had Rycarraea's wings, was throwing fireballs at the attackers!

**Master, she has merged with Rycarraea and obtained his powers!**

_I know... How do we stop her?_

Before Wolborg could answer, one of the cloaked figures whipped out a pistol.

_That's no pistol._

It was a tranquilizer gun!

"Anya!"

A gunshot rang throughout the forest as the dart hit Anya in the side of the neck, injecting a black liquid into her bloodstream.

"Wolborg!"

Tala launched his blade as the wolf leapt out to attack the cloaked figures. While the wolf was slashing and biting at the assailants, Tala saw Rycarraea separate from Anya, who collapsed to her knees in the snow, yanking out the empty dart. The puncture wound was starting to bleed, and by the look of it, she wouldn't stay conscious much longer.

"Anya!" Tala ran over to the wounded phoenix, draping an arm around his shoulders and pulling her to her feet. She winced before holding out her blade and yelling, "Kaexalea, finish this!"

The Ice phoenix came shooting out of the bit chip, slamming into the attackers.

"You haven't seen the last of us!" With that, they disappeared.

Anya groaned in pain, putting a hand on her head.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere..." She muttered. Her tone suggested very intense pain.

"Let's get you out of here."

_What the fuck is wrong with me? Why the hell am I helping her?_

**Because she saved you earlier from death.**

_Come again?_

**Don't tell me you forgot that first battle against that guy. You blacked out, I almost got taken, then, "Get away from him! Rycarraea, attack!" Remember? She saved your life.**

Tala said nothing as he helped Anya walk back. Whatever had been in that tranquilizer dart, it was draining Anya of her energy at a rapid rate. Halfway there, she blacked out.

"Anya?"

Sighing in defeat, he picked her up on his back and carried her all the way back. Her wound was starting to stain her shirt as well.

Anya woke up again some time later with a major neck ache and no recollection of how she got back to her room.

**How did I get here?**

_**Tala carried you all the way back.**_

**Yeah right.**

_**Actually, yes. I guess it was payback for you saving his life.**_

Anya shook off her dizziness and got ready, but she felt strangely different. It wasn't the fact that she had woken up later than usual, but something dark was lurking in the corners of her mind.

(Downstairs)

While the others were just getting ready to go outside for practice, footsteps on the staircase were followed by Anya, who jumped down the last few steps.

"Hey guys."

"Feeling any better?" Bryan asked.

"Some, but my neck is killing me. Nothing big, though."

The others eyed her suspiciously.

"What?"

Outside, the others were practicing while Anya was taking apart her blade to get the damaged core out of it. When she had merged with Rycarraea, something caused the inner core to get deep-fried. All of the sudden, something dark flickered across her mind. Anya just shook it off, but still, something didn't feel quite right...


	6. You Should Definitely Be Worried

Shaking off the feeling of that dark thing, Anya returned to her work removing the inner core of her blade. Finally, she finished, but realized that she left the replacement inside.

"I'll be right back." She got up and headed inside, when all of the sudden,

"HEADS UP!"

Anya whirled around just in time to deliver a head-height roundhouse kick to a mauve streak that had been hurtling towards her. The blade went streaking back from where it came and lodged itself into a tree. The others stared.

"A little uptight, aren't we?" Kai asked cautiously.

"Don't even go there Hiwatari." She replied in a tone so dark it made Bryan and Spencer shiver. Kai raised his hands in the universal symbol of peace, rather mockingly though. Anya glared at him and kept walking.

"I think someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today." Tala muttered.

Out of nowhere, a slushball smacked into the side of Tala's head.

"OW! What the fuck was that for!"

Anya didn't reply and slammed the door behind her.

"Hey, isn't Ian coming today?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah, and I get the feeling he's going to leave as soon as he meets the demoness over there." Tala growled reproachfully.

A split second later, another slushball smacked him in the side of the head.

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE INSIDE!"

"Actually, that was me." Spencer said with a smirk.

If looks could kill, Spencer would have been dead 50,000 times over.

* * *

A few minutes later when Anya had finished putting her blade together and had pelted Tala with about 500 slushballs for making a snide remark concerning her level of sanity, the sounds of a bus engine could be heard as they pulled to a stop. A moment later, they pulled away and someone's footsteps crunched in the snow.

"Long time no see Ian." Spencer said with a wave.

The dark-haired kid smirked.

"Hey T, why are you all wet?" He asked with a mildly amused expression.

Tala shot Anya a death glare.

"This wench-"

He was cut off by another slushball in the left ear.

"THAT'S IT!"

While Tala proceeded to chase Anya around the yard, hell bent on strangling her, Bryan turned back to Ian, who looked somewhat confused.

"That's our new teammate, Anya. She's been driving Tala stark-mad all week. It's pretty funny, really,provided you stay out of her way, that is..."

"Okaaaaayyyy..."

* * *

Meanwhile, Anya had climbed, er, leapt up a tall tree while Tala stood at the base of the trunk, fuming, with a murderous look in his eyes.

"You'd better get down here or I'll-"

"You'll what?" She asked smugly from her perch on the branch.

"KILL YOU!"

"Now what makes you think I'll do that? Because to me, going to the level of someone who wants to kill me seems like a pretty stupid thing to do." She responded in a rather convincing innocent tone.

Tala growled and started to walk away when he got a slushball in the back of the head.

* * *

"I see your point." Ian remarked as Anya leapt down from the tree while running from a very pissed-off Wolborg. She whipped out her blade, making Rycarraea slam into Wolborg's face, who fell into the snow, making it fly up and cover Tala.

"Karma hates me." He groaned.

"You brought it upon yourself then." Anya replied with a smirk.

While Tala unburied himself from the waist-deep pile of snow from Wolborg's crash landing, the others exchanged glances.

"I swear, Anya made it a hobby to think of new ways to drive Tala completely insane. You know what else? She's good at it." Spencer moaned while shaking his head in exasperation.

Ian snickered.

"This I gotta see. Tala insane? She's probably a-"

Before he could say anything, Ian got a slushball in the face.

"-Psycho." He finished, his voice muffled by the slush.

Some time later, Tala had given up trying to kill Anya after she had scared the shit out of him by merging with Rycarraea and started hurling fireballs in every direction while screaming bloody murder like a drunken, crazed madman on a rampage. ("AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"). And by murder, I mean Tala's murder, which would be enough to scare anyone. Anya was cracking up at his expression and mentioned something about wishing she had a camera for it and how it was amazing that _male_ vocal cords could reach such a high pitch. Ian seemed more amused by their new teammate than anything.

* * *

It was around mid-day when_ it_ happened. The team was brought to the BBA HQ for a meeting with Mr. D when they were interrupted.

"**_You._**" Anya snarled venomously.

Boris smirked. Behind him, he had 3 bladers, an orange-haired boy, a blond with a mask over his eyes, and a girl with two-toned brown and burnt orange hair.

"What do you want!" Tala demanded.

"The BEGA Inc. has already purchased this establishment, Dickenson. Today's the deadline for you to scram." Boris snapped at Mr. D.

"Over my dead body." Anya growled.

"That could be arranged." The girl said with a smirk.

"I could rearrange your_ face_ for that little comment." Anya snapped in a tone so deadly it made the girl shudder and hide behind Boris.

Boris smirked at Anya.

"It's been a while."

"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about." She growled.

"Pfft. Still as stubborn as ever."

"Bastard."

The orange-haired boy stepped forward, clearly pissed off.

"You watch how you talk." He snapped.

"You gonna do something about it?"

Both bladers whipped out their loaded launchers.

"Let's take this outside and settle this like civilized people, shall we?"

"Fat chance." Anya said with a snide glower at the orange-haired kid.

"You're one to be talking."

* * *

Somehow, they managed to get Anya and the other blader outside, who turned out to be called Brooklyn.

"The rules are simple. Winner decides what happens to the building."

"3, 2, 1, LET IT RIIIIIIIIPP!"

The two bladers let their blades rip, immediately clashing blades with all the force in their power.

"Rycarraea, Wildfire Inferno!"

"Zeus, attack!"

As Anya's blade was engulfed in a trademark raging inferno, Brooklyn's blade swiftly started attacking from all sides.

"NOW!"

Rycarraea sent the inferno flying out in a wave of flames, getting a pretty solid hit to Brooklyn's blade.

"Now Kaexalea, Everest Blizzard!"

The sweltering hot air was replaced by a frigid whirlwind of hail and snow.

"SHE HAS TWO BIT BEASTS?" She heard Ian and the BEGA bladers shout.

Anya smirked as Kaexalea launched a devastating attack. All of the sudden, Brooklyn's eyes started glowing black.

"ZEUS! ATTACK!"

The center of his blade glowed as a huge bit beast was unleashed. Whatever it was, it roared before slamming into the Phoenix Strata again and again.

"Kaexalea, Rycarraea, emerge and attack together!"

The two phoenixes emerged from the split bit chip, winding together before hovering side by side.

"GEMINI ELEMENT CANNON!"

The twin phoenixes shrieked as they started to power up for the destructive attack.

"KING OF DARKNESS!"

All of the sudden, a hole appeared in the center of the battlefield, starting to drag Kae and Ry into it!

"NO!" Anya yelled helplessly as she fell to her knees.

The phoenixes shrieked as they fired the red, blue, and silver energy cannon at the hole, but it did nothing as they struggled to escape the pull.

"Rycarraea! Kaexalea!" She yelled as her phoenixes were slowly starting to become enveloped in darkness.

"ZEUS, FINISH THEM!"

"Stop..." Anya muttered.

Brooklyn laughed at her.

"Stop it..." She said with more force.

"How pathetic. Did you really think you could beat me? Now your phoenixes are mine."

"I said **STOP IT!**"

Anya was suddenly surrounded by a black aura as a third light shot up from the bit chip, taking the form of yet another bit beast, a phoenix.

"No way..."

Anya's eyes had now turned golden, the same color as the phoenix's eyes that was standing in front of her.

"Black Dranzer!" Kai gasped.

"Black Dranzer, Eclipse Emission!"

The mighty black phoenix shrieked in a shrill pitch before launching a massive wave of shadow fog, blinding Zeus as it was mercilessly attacked by Black Dranzer.

"Kaexalea! Rycarraea! Twin Phoenix Parallel Wave!"

The 2 younger of the triplets shrieked in reply as a gigantic blinding red and blue flash could be seen somewhere in the fog. When it cleared, the three phoenix brothers were all standing strong in the midst of Brooklyn's demolished blade. Anya, on the other hand, was beaten up, and her eyes were still golden, just like Black Dranzer's. Black wings with golden ridges were unfurled from her back, and the dark aura was still surrounding her. Without another word, she picked up her blade as soon as the phoenixes retreated to the Phoenix Strata's bit chip.

As Anya walked past them, he saw that the fabric on the left shoulder of her shirt had been torn clear off, revealing the tattoo. Now it was a mix of not just Kaexalea and Rycarraea, now it bore resemblance to Black Dranzer.

"Ok, is she always like that or should I be worried?" Ian askedSpencer warily.

"I'm just going to take a wild guess and say:You should definitely be worried."


	7. The Idea

"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ALL ABOUT!"

"Hmph."

The Blitzkrieg Boys sighed as Tala continued to rant and pace while swearing at Anya, who was sitting in a chair with her arms folded. They all knew Tala was referring to that little match where Black Dranzer, er, Branzer, made his entrance.

"Goddammit now what are we supposed to do about you! That fuckin' phoenix is dangerous and with you commanding it we're all fucking doomed!"

Anya, getting tired of listening to Tala's hysterics, brushed right past him and went into the kitchen where she knew it would be easier to ignore him ("by putting nuts and bolts in the blender" –evil smirk-) Tala tried to regain his composure, but lost it all over again when he saw the paparazzi outside. Getting even more thoroughly pissed off, he drew the blinds so none of the snooping bastards could see inside.

Inside the kitchen, one can hear Anya swearing very loudly into the phone.

"Fucking bastard, for the millionth time I... GET IT THROUGH YOUR FUCKING THICK SKULL YOU DUMBASS FUCKBAG, I AM NOT DOING AN INTERVIEW!"

(slams phone down) (phone rings)

"What the fuck is wrong with you dickheads!... THIS IS THE 7TH FUCKING TIME YOU'VE CALLED! GO FUCK OFF AND DIE YOU PATHETIC MOTHER-FUCKING BASTARDS!"

(slams phone down) (phone rings)

"**AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**"

(smashing sounds)

Anya stormed out into the room with a mangled phone in her hand and flings open the front door where she is immediately greeted by a man from some news network, who promptly flung the phone in the guy's face and knocking him out cold before slamming the door shut again.

"Damn the paparazzi. DAMN THEM ALL TO HELL!" She swore.

"Dude, chill out will you?" Ian replied wearing a bored expression.

"I swear, if these fuckers don't leave me the fuck alone, I'll-"

A phone rings, making Anya'sface twitch.

"Relax, it's just my cell." Spencer said trying to keep Anya from totally losing it again. It wound up being a wrong number.

"Damn, you ARE psychotic."

Anya sat down on the couch and clenched her eyes shut, hugging her knees.

"Let's just say I had a very bad experience because of those fucking dolts outside."

Since Spencer and Ian were the only ones in there, they made an interesting proposition.

"We won't tell anyone."

"The hell you won't."

"Do you want to keep having us think you're a total psychopath?"

"I don't give a flying fuck about what you think of me."

"Seriously, we've been through far more shit than you possibly could have."

Anya sighed in defeat.

"Let me put it to you this way. I got famous, I got fans, and need I remind you the differences between fangirls and fan guys? Girls are obsessive, and guys are horny. You do the math." With that said she stormed up to her room and slammed the door loud enough to raise the dead. The two pondered a moment, then they realized it.

Back upstairs, Anya's hands went to her head as a splitting pain shot through her mind.

**_Hello my mistress._** Crooned a smooth, dark voice.

**Branzer!**

_**That's an awfully rude way to speak to your bit beast.**_

**In case you've forgotten, Branzer, you have 2 brothers that were here first! You should be showing them some respect!**

_**Yeah!**_

_Yeah!_

_**Well, excuuuse me.**_

**Get out of my head!**

Black Dranzer laughed a dark, haunting laugh, making the pain suddenly drain out of her head but it was replaced by waves of lightheadedness.

"Ry... Kae..." She muttered weakly as she staggered a step backwards.

_**Hold on Anya...**_

_Just try to hold on..._

Anya's vision started to blur as her legs gave out from under her and she fell backwards onto the floor. Darkness consumed her as she blacked out.

_-Dream-_

_The girl opened her eyes to see a hazy and misshapen world, the strange green liquid surrounding her causing everything to appear deformed._

**Wake up 74986 DELTA.** _Someone's voice said._

_She closed her eyes, too weak to respond._

"_We're losing it! Its heartbeat is plunging!" Frantic voices yelled. _

_74896 DELTA clenched her eyes shut even tighter. The outside world was so raucous, paining her exceptionally sharp hearing.._

**Stop.**

_Her eyes shot open._

"_We have a pulse!" Someone shouted._

_The liquid surrounding her was drained as the glass around her was removed. She fell to her hands and knees, still fighting vertigo._

"_Welcome to the world, 74986 DELTA."_

_Hearing a name she recognized, the project looked up into the loathsome eyes of a man whose name she didn't know. _

"_Dry it off and complete the procedures." He ordered a man standing next to him. She snarled at the person approaching her._

"_She'll have to be sedated." The man told someone._

_That was when she blacked out._

Anya sat bolt upright in bed, a cold sweat on her face. Glancing at her clock, she groaned when she saw that it was only 12 at night.

_Wait._

Sitting upright, she saw that she wasn't in her room at all. Looking at her side, she saw Tala asleep on the couch using the crook of his arm as a pillow. The phoenix swung her legs over the side of the bed and tried to stand up only to stumble noisily enough to wake the sleeping wolf.

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" Anya asked as she sat back down on the bed.

"We found you passed out on the floor. I should be asking you that."

Anya said nothing.

"You snarl in your sleep, you know that?" Anya responded by raising an eyebrow, pretending not to know what he meant.

"Whatever." She muttered as she tried to stand up again. When she didn't fall right away, she managed about 4 steps before her knees buckled and she collapsed. To her surprise, in one lightning-fast movement, Tala had leapt up from the couch and caught her, putting them in a position that looked something like an embrace.

"Klutz." He muttered.

It was at about that moment that Anya realized how close to him she was and blushed aberrantly. Tala pulled her up to her feet. He was much stronger than she gave him credit for, much to Anya's surprise.

"Damn, I feel like I've been hit by a fucking truck." She groaned.

"No shit, Sherlock. You fell on the floor." He replied wryly. "Mind telling me why you lost it earlier today?"

"I'd rather not talk about it. Bad experience."

Tala just shrugged it off as he helped to walk her to her room, which was all the way down the hall. All of the sudden, he didn't seem like such an icy-hearted jerk. In fact, he looked almost... concerned.

_What?_

Anya shook the thought from her head as Tala opened the door to her room. It seemed pretty normal, but something still didn't feel quite right. Tala walked her over to her bed.

"You ok?" He asked with an unusual tone of caring in his tone.

"Yeah..."

Tala started to walk away.

"Tala?"

He paused and looked over his shoulder.

"Thanks."

He responded with only an "Mm-hmm," and left.

**Where's Black Dranzer?**

_**He's ignoring you at the moment.**_

_The bastard._

**_Flattery will get you nowhere._** Black Dranzer said with a smirkish tone.

**Listen up Black Dranzer, you-**

_**Anya, that dream you had, I gave it to you on purpose.**_

**Huh? **Black Dranzer's tone was unusually serious and... not evil. (?)

_**I don't know where it's from, but that dream you had is a key to recovering your past.**_

**How do I know I can trust you?**

_**You have my word as a phoenix.**_

_**Well, that got my trust.**_

_When a phoenix gives its word on his kind, then you're guaranteed their word for eternity. _Rycarraea explained.

**Fine. But if you go back on your word, I'll destroy you once and for all.**

_**Deal.**_

Little did Anya know what thoughts were lurking in the dark recesses of the phoenix's mind.

_And when she uncovers her past, I will be able to take control. The plan is in motion._

Anya woke up to the sound of her alarm clock early the next morning. She leapt up from her bed only to have a scrape with almost doing a faceplant. Luckily, her reflexes were fast enough to make Anya catch herself so that she was in a push-ups position rather than flat on the ground on her face.

"Stupid..." She scolded herself.

Somehow managing to get over to her desk, Anya pulled out a black box from the drawer. Attaching several wires to her blade and then plugging them into the laptop, she started typing away furiously trying to find any glitches in the construction. It made no sense, how did Black Dranzer just appear out of nowhere? And conveniently when she needed him the most? It seemed too good to be true.

_I think not._

She kept it up for hours, not finding a single flaw in the build.

_Odd... very odd..._

Downstairs, Tala was surprised to see Anya managing to get down to the bottom of the stairs.

"We need to talk." He said before grabbing her arm and leading Anya out of the room. The others exchanged confused glances, then decided to keep it to themselves so as to avoid a very painful training session.

"What the hell?" Anya snapped when Tala shut the door behind him.

"What is with you! One instant you're blasting Brooklyn with Black Dranzer, the next you're going completely psychotic over the paparazzi, then you pass out on your bedroom floor! There's something you're not telling us, and if you don't fess up soon I'm going to force it out of you, and I warn you, I give Blitzkrieg a new definition." He growled.

"What's there to tell! I can't even remember the first 15 years of my fucking life, and I'm 16! I can only remember one god damn year in my entire lifetime!" She exploded.

"HELLO! You can merge with your frickin' bit beasts, you have highly abnormal physical strength, and for some strange reason you have not one, not two, but THREE phoenixes all crammed into one fucking bit chip! That to me is 'something'."

Anya folded her arms.

"Look, the bit beast thing I can explain. It's simple, I was born with a gift that allowed me to do that kind of thing. Some bladers have it, others don't. The rest, I honestly don't know! I would stake my life and my bit beasts on that!" She replied indignantly.

Tala was taken slightly aback by the last sentence. To stake one's life on something was one thing, but for a blader to put their beast(s) at stake was like someone offering to shoot themself in the head.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, so just leave me alone!" She snapped before reaching for the door.

"Hold it-" He grabbed her wrist, but she whirled around again and smacked him across the face before running back up to her room, clearly pissed off.

Tala stood there stunned for a moment. Not once in his life, despite all the beatings, whippings, and other harsh punishments that he refused to venture into the details of, had a girlever struck him across the face. As weird as it sounded, it actually hurt. Feeling suddenly empowered, Tala stormed after Anya, finding her in the gym and beating the stuffing out of a punching bag.

"God. Damn. It. Why. Can't. I. Remember. ANYTHING!" She huffed between punches and kicks. "ARRRGH!" In one burst of energy, she threw a punch that sent the punching bag clear to the other side of the room.

She wasn't abnormally strong... something was definitely up.

Getting increasingly frustrated, Anya went back up to her room.

_**What's wrong, mistress?**_

**Tala is what's wrong. Him and his stupid interrogations.**

_Why's that the problem?_

**I answered his fucking questions and he asked more which I don't know the answers to and got all pissed off even though I can't remember a god damn thing!**

_**Well, that was just specific enough to work.**_

Anya ignored the youngest phoenix as she slammed the door to her room. Getting back on her laptop, she started hacking into any old Abbey files she could find.

Back downstairs, Tala was pacing furiously back and forth.

"Dammit Tala, sit down before I force you to, you're giving me a headache." Spencer groaned.

Tala shot Spencer his trademark death glare before returning to pacing and pondering.

Upstairs, Anya was typing away at her laptop. An idea had sparked into her mind, and it would help improve her blading. Little did she know, this was what would make all the difference in the story.


	8. Branzer Genesis

While Anya was feverishly typing away at her computer, other things were going on. A black-eyed girl watched as her teammate received a severe beating from the boss, his screams of agony echoing off the walls. She didn't flinch at the crack of the crack of the whip, nor did her eyes betray any emotion. She merely stood there, forced to watch as Boris pummeled Brooklyn to the brink of insanity.

"That will teach you to fail me." Boris growled with a sneer.

"Faye, you take it from here. I expect to see blood on the ground." Boris left with no other orders.

Faye turned to the orange-haired teen chained to the wall, blowing a strand of raven hair away from her face back into her waist-length braid, then turned her attention back to Brooklyn. His back was torn and bleeding, but Boris' orders had to be carried out. Taking a knife from her pocket, she advanced.

Brooklyn looked over his shoulder at his new teammate to see her approaching with a knife. He shut his eyes, expecting the worst, but it didn't come. She cut his shredded and bloody shirt off, and then proceeded to bandage him up with it. Brooklyn opened his eyes again to see her hands moving deftly and easily. Her jet black eyes remained emotionless as she finished. Taking the knife in her left hand, she made a long gash on the top of her arm running from her wrist to her elbow, letting the blood drip to the floor.

"Why..." Brooklyn asked, or rather, muttered.

"He never said whose blood it had to be." She responded brusquely.

She took the ring of keys from her belt and unlocked the shackles around his wrists. Weak from the blood loss, Brooklyn feel to his knees, leaning an arm against the wall. He felt Faye's arms carefully wrap around him and haul him to his feet, cautious not to hit any of his wounds. She draped his arm around her shoulders and helped the injured teen back to his room.

"Why are you helping me?" He asked weakly.

"I know what it's like to be in your position." She replied, her tone betraying no sentimentality.

Brooklyn said nothing as she opened the door to his room and laid him down on the bed so his back was facing the ceiling. Without a word, she pulled a first aid kit out from under the bed and removed the makeshift bandages from his back. Judging by how quickly and skillfully she cleaned the wounds and bandaged them in a proper dressing, she had done this many times before.

Faye finished cleaning and dressing Brooklyn's wounds and returned the first aid kit back to its place. Looking back at her teammate, she saw that he was staring listlessly at the wall beside him, his cerulean-sapphire eyes showing nothing but pain. Feeling a sudden pang of atypical pity, she started massaging his abused shoulder muscles. Brooklyn tensed at the feeling of contact, but started to relax at her touch. Faye just kept it up until he fell asleep. Without a word, she left his room.

Going back into her own room, Faye booted up the computer and pulled out the readers, attaching them to her forehead and starting to type furiously away. For years, she had been working on an obsolete upgrade called the DELTA Upgrade. It was the very program that had brought her bit beast, Apocalyptica, to life. It had brought her to life. The DELTA Project that had taken place 17 years ago that had created her stood for Diminutive Enhancement (for) Liable Testing Associates. She was known as 47826 DELTA, or Branzer Genesis. Embedded in her DNA was trace amounts of that of Black Dranzer's DNA. She had taken it upon herself to find another program that would increase not only her blading statistics, but her own physical and mental ones as well. She was a Project, a human-like machine created for the sole purpose of achieving absolute victory. She could feel emotions, physical feelings and such like any other human, but there were so many ways she was different...

Faye Sasha Cadnik wasn't her real name. To make things short and simple, it was Meridia. Faye was her cover name, nothing more. She smirked when the profile of her clone, 74986 DELTA, showed up on the screen. It was her job to find out her copy's whereabouts and take her out as quickly as possible.

_I **will** find you Drayea, if it's the last thing I do...

* * *

_

Meanwhile, Anya was having some difficulty with the present issue: Getting outside without Tala noticing. If she got caught, odds are good the house would come down in one nuclear explosion of fury. Slowly opening the door, she froze when she heard something. She stayed there a moment, not hearing a thing. If she could slip past the Blitzkrieg Boys now that would probably jog her confidence later on.

_Damn it. _

She moved noiselessly down the hallway, not making the slightest of sounds despite the crazed feeling in her gut that told her to GET OUTSIDE NOW. Stupid primal gifts. Slowly inhaling so as not to make a sound, she kept on moving. She didn't notice the figure in the shadows.

What felt like an eternity was followed by a rush of relief and the caress of a refreshing breeze. Anya sighed and smiled. She started walking into the forest, comfortably warm with her black and silver parka on with a long red scarf around her neck. Feeling too free to keep her pace, Anya broke out running into the forest.

Following close behind Anya, Tala silently cursed his "damned instinctive captain's responsibility". For some reason, Anya slowed down and eventually stopped, cupping her gloved hands around her mouth and letting out a low, sad howl identical to the kind a wolf made. Her howl was joined by one, then another, and soon a whole chorus of wolf howls joined hers. Tala's eyes widened a bit. Anya howled again as a soft wind picked up, making her scarf billow out beside her sort of like Kai's did, her hair waving in the breeze. She raised her hands a third time, but rather than a wolf's howl, she emitted a short shrill cry like a phoenix's. It was almost creepy the way she sounded exactly like what she was imitating. Anya started walking again.

As Anya kept walking, she heard heavy footsteps joining hers crunching in the snow. She looked over her shoulder to see nothing but the newly falling snow. She kept on walking, but her ultrasharp senses were picking up human footsteps. Just for the heck of it, she let out another wolf howl, and this time, the responses were closer. Much closer.

Tala immediately went into alert mode when the responses to Anya's wolf howl were much louder. Behind him, he heard a low growl. Turning around slowly, he met two gleaming yellow eyes belonging to a white and gray wolf. Surprisingly, she walked right by Tala and over to Anya. She turned to the wolf, eyes flashing from blue to golden as she extended the back of her hand to the wolf. Judging by its size, it was an alpha female. Tala was mildly surprised when the wolf sniffed her hand, then nudged it with her head. Anya smiled and scratched the wolf behind her ears. The alpha turned to the woods and barked once. A moment later, a litter of 4 wolf cubs came scampering over to the phoenix, who kneeled down as the four bowled right into her, landing her on her backside in the snow. She just laughed as two crawled into her lap, one gnawed on the end of her boot, and the fourth nuzzled her hand, whimpering for attention. It was that fourth one, the smallest one, which the alpha seemed to ignore. Anya smiled and took it up in her arms, laughing when the pup licked her face. She looked back to the alpha, eyes flickering as the wolf's did, as if they were exchanging words. The wolf started to walk away, allowing Anya to hold onto the 4th cub who showed no means of following his family.

Anya watched as the alpha female walked away, but one cub paused and looked at one particular tree and started barking. She smirked when she heard someone hiss, "Shh! Go on, shoo!"

The alpha female turned back to the tree and snarled, making Anya laugh when a very surprised Tala jumped out from behind the tree.

"Stay absolutely still," she advised, "And don't try to touch them."

The female wolf warily approached Tala and sniffed his hand.

"Can you by any chance tell her I'm not a threat?"

"You have the wolf bit beast, you tell her."

Tala looked back at the alpha again.

"Um..."

_Trustworthy. Responsible. Human wolf._

Tala was taken by surprise by that.

"Did I just-"

Anya nodded and smiled.

"You have the Gift. You're a wolf telepath."

"Ok then..."

_Pack member. Worried. Alpha wolf._

The female nuzzled his hand with her head.

"Go on." Anya urged with the wolf cub still nestled in her arms.

Timidly, he stroked the female's soft fur, amazed at himself and Anya. The wolf eventually walked away, leaving Anya and a stunned Tala behind.

"What the hell was that all about?" He asked eyeing Anya, who at the moment was keeping the wolf cub in her arms occupied by allowing him to teethe on her thumb.

"I guess I forgot to tell you that my Gift is animal communication and merging." She said with a hangdog grin.

"Uh-huh... Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight." He said rolling his eyes.

Anya just shrugged and started walking back to the house.

"You're taking that little monster with you?" Tala demanded.

"You don't have to come." She replied with a smirk, despite knowing he was referring to the wolf cub in her arms.

"Ha-ha, very funny. I'm serious."

"So am I."

Tala's eye twitched before he walked up to the two and glared at the wolf face-to-face.

"Damn you, now we have a little monster to hang around."

Anya laughed when Tala jumped about 10 feet back in surprise when the wolf cub barked in his face when just a split second ago had looked almost asleep.

"Great, just great. So what are you going to name that little beast?" He asked with a smug grin, no doubt he had a sarcastic and idiotic name ready.

"Tala."

"You're kidding, right?" He gawked disbelievingly.

"Well yeah. You both have the same blue eyes, and the same hair color."

Tala raised an eyebrow. Anya responded by pointing the ends of the wolf cub's ears. Sure enough, on the ends of his ears were fiery red just like the blader's hair. Anya made a mental note that they both looked like devils, Tala (the blader) with the ends of his hair looking like devil's horns and Tala (the cub) with pointy ears.

"This is going to get very confusing around the house."

"Ok, Tala Jr. then. TJ maybe."

The wolf cub's red-tipped ears perked up at the name Tala Jr.

"I don't believe this." Tala groaned.

Anya shrugged again and started walking back.

* * *

Waking up the next morning, Anya almost laughed when she felt a paw against her chin. Beside her, TJ was growling in his sleep, lying on his back with his large paws stuck out at odd angles and his tongue hanging out of his mouth in a doggy-looking grin. Gently rolling the cub over, he woke up immediately and jumped off the bed. Anya dressed quickly and went back downstairs with Tala Jr. trotting at her heels. The others gave her very strange looks when she came downstairs, TJ promptly pouncing on Tala's left foot. He merely shook the pup off, who ran over to Anya but wound up skidding across the slippery linoleum floor.

"Would you quit looking at me like that?" She said rather irritably.

TJ managed to get his balance and walked over to Kai, flopping onto his shoe making Kai look down at him inquisitively before turning back to his blade. Anya took an apple from the fridge before walking to the door and whistling a 4-note tune to call TJ. The wolf pup scampered after her out the door.

"What the hell was that all about?" Ian asked Tala in a puzzled tone.

"I have no fucking clue."

* * *

As the day progressed as normally as it could, TJ seemed to really like Kai and tag along all over the house much to Anya's and the others' amusement and Kai's annoyance.

_He'll get used to him all in good time.

* * *

_

Meanwhile, Faye was training like crazy against her trainer, but just as Boris suspected, her skills now exceeded his. In one hard roundhouse kick, she threw her trainer clear off the mat. Boris dismissed the beaten up man, who seemed glad to leave. Faye took a long drink from her water bottle and resumed her training, this time beating the crap out of a punching bag in the form of a person. While Faye was going kung-fu (Matrix style)on the punching bag, in the next room Ming-Ming was keeping herself preoccupied polishing her microphone while silently fuming that she wasn't the center of attention, Mystel was sitting on the ceiling doing nothing, Garland was studying his blade, Crusher was visiting his sister in the hospital, and the twins were practicing their battle moves outside. Brooklyn was staring out the window at the birds. For some reason, they fascinated him, but his thoughts were elsewhere. They were on that girl that had helped him last night. He hadn't seen her before until then, nor had he known that she was to be his teammate at around the same time. He snapped out of his thoughts when the door slammed open.

"Boys," Boris began when Ming-Ming shot him a glare, "And girl." Ming-Ming grinned smugly. "I want you to meet your new teammate." Boris stepped out of the way to reveal the girl from last night.

"This is Faye Cadnik, your new co-captain."

Faye said nothing. Her piercing black eyes betrayed no feelings and were hollow and dark. Her plaited hair shone a bit in the few rays of sunshine that hit her, and what wasn't held back hung in her face in 3 spiky bangs. She was dressed in a turquoise V-neck shirt with a brown long-sleeved jacket over it, a pair of navy blue cargoes with torn knees and black boots with 5 silver and blue buckles. Rather than bladers' gloves, she had on a pair of gauntlets that appeared to be made out of machinery. By the look of it, it was her launcher as well as an odd fashion statement. (Her right gauntlet is her launcher!)

"Hi, I'm Ming-Ming." She said leaping at the chance to be the center of attention again.

"I'm Mystel." He said after getting off the ceiling.

"Team, this is our co-captain. The team is becoming too large for the standards for one captain, so I found another slightly lower rank to help keep things in check. I expect you to treat her with the same respect you would treat me." He said in a harsh tone. Without another word, he left.

"So, you're the co-captain, eh?" Garland mused as he got up from his position leaning against the wall and shook hands with Faye.

"And don't you forget it." She responded coldly.

It was about that moment the twins walked in from practice.

"Who's that?" Raul asked with a raised eyebrow at the new girl.

"This is our co-captain, Faye." Mystel answered.

"I'm Julia, and this is my little brother Raul." The girl with the brown and burnt orange hair said shaking Faye's hand.

Ming-Ming immediately skipped to the interrogation.

"How old are you?"

"17."

"Where are you from?"

"Russia."

"Have you ever bladed before?"

"Yes."

"Am I asking too many questions?"

"Yes."

It was starting to make the others snicker at Ming-Ming, who was getting annoyed with Faye's short, one-word replies.

"What's your bit beast called and what's it like?"

"It's a Dark/Demon dragon called Apocalyptica. Lyptica if you prefer." She replied flatly and folded her arms.

Garland raised an eyebrow before saying, "Can you show us?"

"Not likely, unless you don't mind the ass-kicking of your life." She retorted icily.

"Oh really?"

Faye shot Garland a dark glare that would make Kai Hiwatari proud, making him shudder. Those black eyes were so cold and devoid that they seemed to draw him into a black vortex.

"Are you going to stand there all day or do I have to move you?"

Garland snapped back into reality and cleared his throat, suggesting that nothing ever happened. Faye rolled her eyes and walked out of the room.

"Anyone who hasn't trained today follows me." She snapped.

Brooklyn got up from his spot at the window, followed by Mystel, Ming-Ming and Garland.

* * *

As it turned out, Faye was very good at getting on Garland's nerves with her icy and quiet manner. Actually, it was driving him up the wall in fury to say the least.

"Ok, blading and then we're through for the day." Faye announced after making the whole team run. When Garland had started shooting her death glares for saying they were slow, she had joined in and sprinted her 10 laps, beating everyone else like it were a race, and they had been on their 5th or 6th lap when she finished, not looking the least bit tired. The partners to battle each other were Brooklyn vs. Ming-Ming and Mystel vs. Garland. Brooklyn and Garland both won easily, but just as they were heading inside, Garland couldn't stand it anymore.

"I bet you don't even have a bit beast." He said with a smirk.

Faye tensed.

"Care to repeat that little comment to my face?" She growled calmly. Too calmly.

"I SAID _I bet you don't even have a bit beast._" He repeated with emphasis on each word.

"I suggest you take that back before I hurt you in ways that no human should be hurt." She growled forebodingly. "But then again, you're not human, are you?"

Garland's eye twitched.

"Break it up you two," Brooklyn interrupted, "You got issues to work out, so lets take this to the dish like civilized people."

Faye narrowed her eyes loathingly at Garland, who shot her his best death glare.

* * *

**Faye's Stats:**

Attack: 5 stars (off the scale)

Defense:2 stars

Endurance: 1 star

**Apocalyptica's Attacks:**

Phantom Shadow (Offense, Dark/Demon)

Apocalypse Reign (Offense, Demon)

Eclipse Apocalypse (Final Attack, Demon/Dark)

* * *

"3, 2, 1, LET IT RRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPP!"

The two bladers let loose their blades into the battlefield, a loose, bare stretch of earth.

"Appollon, attack!"

"Lyptica, counter!"

As Garland's blade charged at Faye's, the crimson and black blade easily dodged it and swerved around, slamming into Appollon from behind.

"Lyptica, Phantom Shadow Attack!"

"Appollon, Radiant Thunder!"

As Garland's griffin emerged from its bit chip, Faye smirked.

"That's it? APOCALYPTICA, SHOW HIM A REAL BIT BEAST!"

The center of her blade started to glow blood red as a beam of red light shot up out of her bit chip, taking the form of a HUGE dragon. Apocalyptica must have been a good 90 feet long with a 75 foot wingspan, nearly twice the size of Gaia Dragoon. The Dark Dragon was all black with red markings on its wings and body, and edged along its back were blood-red razor-sharp spikes. The dragon was clad in golden armor decorated with black and red designs and precious stones. Its eyes were a blazing, fiery mix of onyx and crimson, and the crest on its head had a large horn in the middle of Apocalyptica's forehead, jagged once to look something like a lightning bolt.

"ATTACK!"

Apocalyptica threw its head back and roared before unleashing a massive wave of Dark energy, slamming into Appollon with such force that it sent Garland's blade careening out of the battlefield and plowing it into the ground. Faye's bit beast returned to the confinements of its bit chip, and without so much as a word, Faye picked up her blade and walked away.

"Damn, Garland's been schooled." Mystel snickered.

"SHUT UP."


	9. The Fight and a Deal

While it seemed that Branzer Genesis and her search for Drayea, aka Branzer Renavatio, were pretty much the only activity for the nighttime shifts, another was awake and on a much more severe mission. There were more than 2 Projects out there; in fact, the Branzer Project Line had 6. She was 18935 DELTA, Branzer Leviathan, the oldest and most powerful of all the Branzer Projects. Her bit beast was the 3rd strongest in the group, but she had much higher attack stats (which made up for her defense and endurance), off the scale in fact, and her profile looked something like this:

**Branzer Project I**

Project Code: 18935 DELTA

Project Name: Branzer Leviathan

DNA Fusion: Branzer

Gender: Female

Age: 19

Hair: Brown/Auburn

Eyes: Silver

Height: 5'8"

Name: Seya Kay Ruvloff

Occupation: Beyblader, Undercover worker, Hacker, Hunter

Bit Beast: Dryzalaia

Blade: Dryzalaia X

Species: Dark Panther

Element: Dark/Wind

Attack: 7 stars (off the scale)

Defense: 3 stars

Endurance: 2 stars

**Attacks:**

Talisman of Shadows (Offense, Dark)

Gale Force Shadow (Offense, Dark/Wind)

Night Shade Forcefield (Defense, Dark)

Dark Side of the Moon (Final Attack, Dark)

It would be more specific later on, but until then, her current target was Branzer Turnabout. Seya continued typing, mind racing furiously as more data appeared onscreen.

**Branzer Project III**

Project Code: 45896 DELTA

Project Name: Branzer Turnabout

DNA Fusion: Black Dranzer

Gender: Female

Age: 16 ½

Hair: Navy

Eyes: Brown

Height: 5'4"

Occupation: Beyblader

Bit Beast: Faeryxea

Blade: Faeryxea GS

Species: Sea Serpent

Element: Water

Attack: 3 stars

Defense: 3 stars

Endurance: 3 stars

**Attacks:**

Poseidon's Javelin (Offense, Water)

Neptune's Trident (Offense, Water)

Typhoon Wall of Water (Defense, Water)

Tsunami Ultimate (Final Attack, Water)

There was no picture for any of the Branzers except for Renavatio and Leviathan, and since Boris had someone else hunting the elusive Renavatio, she had to take out the others. She smirked at the thought.

_I could use a warm up.

* * *

_

Meanwhile, Anya was working like crazy in the gym, beating the defenseless punching bag to a pulp. Outside, one could hear "HAH! HIYA!" through the door. Obviously, Anya was in another one of her seriously-pissed-off moods and the others knew better than to incur her temper. Unfortunately for everyone else, the punching bag wasn't enough to satisfy her rapidly burning temper, and she gave up on it and headed outside. The others blamed Tala for her getting upset- whatever he did, Tala wasn't talking.

_Probably another argument._

Kai had gotten used to TJ following him around and Anya swore he was starting to like the pup. Back to reality... Whatever had gotten her pissed off, the others knew better than to ask. She was (literally) steaming thanks to Rycarraea's abilities, and the air around her seemed to heat up when she was within 20 feet of you. Getting frustrated, Anya went outside with TJ at her heels. As cold as it was outside, Anya couldn't feel a thing.

* * *

While Anya was back home fuming, Faye smirked triumphantly. The bit beast she was looking for had been seen belonged to someone on the Russian Team, the Blitzkrieg Boys. And where she found that bit beast, she would find Drayea. The BEGA Team had already finished their training for the day, so she grabbed a black box containing the necessaries and her black parka. She practically sprinted down the stairs down to the ground floor and dashed out the door as she pulled on her jacket and took to the skies on Apocalyptica.

_Today's the day.

* * *

_

Still walking around outside in the forest, Anya felt TJ tug on her pants leg. She looked down at the pup to see him pulling on her clothing as if trying to get her to turn back.

"Let go TJ." She growled sternly.

The pup looked up at her and whimpered. Anya just kept on walking until she got to that same area she had saved Tala from whoever had that Dryzalaia bit beast. TJ ran off in the direction of home. The reason she knew that bit beast so well was because she had battled the mystery blader many a time before. They seemed to follow her everywhere- Anya's thoughts were cut off when something whizzed by her head. Thanks to her lightning-fast reflexes, she whirled around and launched the Phoenix Strata at the streak, hitting it head-on. Her blade bounced right back into her waiting hand as the other went careening in another direction.

"Not bad, not bad at all." A dark voice said behind her.

* * *

Tala and the others were still hanging around the house when Tala heard scratching at the door. He opened the front door, TJ jumping inside and barking at him.

"Shut up, mutt." He growled.

TJ snarled at him and took hold of his shoelace, trying to pull him outside.

"Knock it off!"

Just then, an explosion rocked the forest where Anya had gone earlier.

"Oh shit..."

* * *

"C'mon, I know you're better than that!"

Anya was breathing heavily in the snow. The girl behind her smirked a very dark smirk. Forcing herself to her feet, Anya ignored the pain in her leg where she'd been hit by a bolt of black energy. Whoever the girl was, she too could merge with her bit beast, according to her a dragon named Apocalyptica. She had been dodging and diving out of the way of the blasts she was throwing, but now she was getting seriously ticked off.

"RYCARRAEA!" She yelled.

A sensation of extreme heat filled her as the Fire phoenix's wings unfurled from her back, same as the mystery girl's. Her eyes glowed red and her loose hair blew out in the wind surrounding the area.

"Who are you!" She demanded.

"If you must know, I am Genesis. I won't bore you with the details."

Genesis charged, throwing a massive blast of dark energy at Anya. She countered with a wall of fire, but to her utter surprise, the blast shattered the shield and slammed into her, nearly knocking her out of the air.

"You don't know who you are, do you?" Genesis sneered.

* * *

Running at a frantic pace through the forest, Tala was starting to panic. As bizarrely strong as Anya was, that kind of explosion could have done some real damage.

_You'd better be alright, Anya.

* * *

_

"Uff!" Anya grunted as she hit the ground again.

"Switch!" She murmured as Rycarraea's wings were replaced by Kaexalea's and she too took to the skies, eyes glowing ice blue. Genesis smirked, slightly narrowing her glowing black eyes.

"Everest Blizzard!" Anya yelled as she unleashed the Ice phoenix's massive blizzard attack.

"Phantom Barrier!" Genesis put her hands up as a forcefield of black energy appeared, making the blizzard ricochet right off of it.

"Gale Force Shadow!"

"Kamikaze Torrent!"

* * *

As Tala ran into the clearing that TJ led him to, he gasped when he saw a girl that bore an uncomfortably close likeness to Anya launch a massive wave of Dark energy at her, throwing Anya hard into the snow.

"So, now what was it that I was going to tell you before I was interrupted...?" The girl mused to herself.

Anya, still on the ground with a battered pair of wings and body, slowly got up onto her hands and knees, panting and bleeding.

"Now I remember." The girl said with a smirk as she touched down on solid ground.

She walked over to Anya and crouched down in front of her.

"You know what you really are..."

She leaned in and whispered something into the fallen phoenix's ear, then pulled back with an evil smirk.

"Liar..." Anya breathed.

Not satisfied with her reply, the girl kicked Anya hard in the stomach.

"Leave her alone!"

* * *

Both Anya and Genesis turned to see Tala standing there, blade and launcher ready, looking absolutely furious. Genesis shot Tala a sinister smirk and advanced.

"How cute, your little boyfriend has come to your rescue. Too bad he's seen too much."

Tala, starting to get a bit freaked out, launched Wolborg at Genesis' face, but she easily caught it in her hand and crushed it. Tala stared wide-eyed as Genesis advanced.

Still badly weakened by the blow, Anya forced herself to her feet.

**Ry... Kae... Help me please...**

_**My mistress, they are not strong enough to help. Release me...**_

**Not going to happen Black.**

Turning to look over her shoulder, Anya saw that Genesis had Tala by the throat about ready to kill.

_**Release me...**_

"Hey BR, I suggest you surrender before I turn your boyfriend here into ash." Genesis growled.

"Stop it..." Anya snarled softly.

"What's that?"

_**Release me...**_

"I said **stop it.**"

_**RELEASE ME!**_

Anya fell to her knees, clutching her head in pain and yelling.

Genesis, getting edgy, dropped Tala as two black and gold wings unfurled from Anya's back. Her hands went from her head to the ground in front of her, she panting.

"What the-"

Anya whirled around, eyes glowing black.

"I said **STOP IT!**"

In one lightning-fast movement, she leapt up to her feet, whirling around mid leap and throwing a blast of Shadow energy at Genesis.

"**_So Genesis, you thought you could defeat us."_** Anya's voice had taken on a tone so menacing it wasn't even hers. It was Black Dranzer.

* * *

Watching from the sidelines, Tala's attention was so occupied with watching in shock as Black Dranzer/Anya beat the shit out of the one she called Genesis in an intense aerial battle. Finally, she let up and landed, totally exhausted. Genesis shot her a dark glare.

"I will come back for you, Branzer Renavatio!" She yelled before flying away.

Anya stood there for a split second, then her wings disappeared as she collapsed into the snow. Tala ran over to his wounded teammate and took her in his arms.

"Anya! Anya wake up!" He yelled, shaking her.

Anya groaned, and her eyes opened a bit.

"What happened?"

"Black Dranzer took control of you."

Anya tried to sit up, but winced and fell back again into his waiting arms.

"Dammit..." She swore under her breath.

"Try not to move... Genesis beat you up pretty good."

Anya gave him an uncertain look.

"I know that name somewhere..." She pondered.

The charred battlefield that she lay in was starting to smolder, but the wind was making it much colder outside. Tala placed one hand under Anya's knees and kept the other behind her back, lifting her up off the ground bridal style, making her blush a bit. He felt even stronger when he was really carrying her.

_Snap out of it._ She scolded herself. _You are not falling for Tala, do I hear me? I am NOT falling for Tala! GOD I hate grammar.

* * *

_

Tala carried Anya all the way back to the house without a word from either of them. TJ made no noise whatsoever, as if he sensed something wasn't totally right. The only person more uneasy than Anya was Tala.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_

**You have feelings for her, master.**

_Since when did it become ok to interrupt my thoughts?_

**Well, obviously I can't knock.**

_Har, har. Very funny. I am **not** getting feelings for her._

**Pfft. Liar. I've seen you stare at her and I see what goes on in your head. You're falling for her!**

_GET. OUT. OF. MY. THOUGHTS._

**Suit yourself.**

Wolborg faded away, leaving Tala to his thoughts. It took a few minutes more of walking before they reached the front door.

"Pretend to be unconscious." He muttered.

"What?"

"You can't just walk in, so just do it." He hissed in a whisper tone.

Anya did so without further question, and she looked pretty convincing. Tala managed to open the door with her in his arms.

"What the- what happened?" Spencer gawked.

"She can tell you when she wakes up."

"So you don't know." Ian grumbled.

"No shit Sherlock."

Without another word, he carried Anya up to her room and shut the door behind him. Anya opened her eyes at the sound of the door shutting.

"Feeling any better?"

Anya rubbed her head.

"Aside from the fact that I have to wait for Ry and Kae to regain their strength before they can heal me, I'm just _dandy_." She said with sarcastic emphasis on the last word.

Tala set her down gently on her bed. She immediately took her pendant out of her jacket and held it in one hand. A soft red light overcame the red parts of the pendant, making the room heat up as Rycarraea's heat gave off some sort of healing vibes, managing to hold out long enough to give Anya the strength to stand up. Tala took off his jacket from the heat.

"How do you stand that?" He asked as she stood up from the bed.

"I dunno, I justcan I guess."

Anya put back her pendant and switched on the ceiling fan. There was a short pause.

"What did that girl mean when she called you... what was it... Branzer Renavatio?" Tala asked leaning against her desk.

"I honestly don't know. Maybe she had me mistaken for someone else."

Tala gave her a trademark raised eyebrow I-don't-believe-you look.

"Do you not remember that little discussion concerning me not remembering the first 15 years of my past?"

"How could I forget," He murmured with one hand over the cheek she'd smacked, "That hurt you know."

"That was sort of the point." She retorted stubbornly.

"That's the thanks I get for carrying you all the way back here?"

"That was payback for me freaking whatshername out and getting her to let go of you."

_Damn. She's got me._

Tala just folded his arms.

"Why did you even follow me there anyway? You probably noticed that I'm strong enough to take care of myself."

"Oh yeah, you did _such_ a great job getting your ass kicked." He said rolling his eyes.

"Shut up."

"What? Is it a crime to be concerned?"

"Pfft. Like you could ever be concerned about a bitch like me."

"Well I'll have you know that I **was** in fact concerned."

Anya gave him a disbelieving look and leaned against the wall beside the desk.

"Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight."

Getting frustrated, Tala resumed his standing up position.

"Yeah, that's right." He growled more sternly.

Anya shot him a glare that said very clearly "Bullshit."

"Don't give me that look." He growled.

"Who died and made you dictator?" She snapped back sarcastically.

Then, to both their surprise, Tala slapped her across the face.

"Goddammit Anya you had me worried sick when I didn't know what was happening to you! I'm responsible for this team, and that includes you!"

Anya was just looking at him with a mix of shock and hurt, completely and utterly speechless. She snapped out of it after a moment.

"Hmph." Without another word, she walked over to the window and leaned against the pane, arms folded and staring out at the forest 2 stories below. Tala sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry I blew up at you but after all the shit I've put up with I can't afford to be careless."

Anya hugged her arms around herself tighter.

"It was what that girl said, wasn't it..."

Anya cringed.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Well, I'm not leaving until you tell me."

"I'm patient."

A few moments passed, wearing Tala's patience thin.

"Dammit, why are you so fucking stubborn!"

Anya didn't even look back, she simply leaned her head against the windowpane and sighed.

"Anya, I swear, you're even worse than-"

"SHUT. UP." She growled ominously.

Tala walked up to her and looked out the window in the direction she was staring. Nothing. He looked at her face, which was set in a stern, focused expression that showed she was deep in thought, making her radiant cerulean-sapphire eyes glimmer furiously.

"Anya?" He waved a hand in front of her face.

Tala got no response. The shoulder that her phoenix tattoo was on was glowing dimly. Anya winced slightly, but her gaze didn't break. She didn't blink, not even once. Tala stared her directly in the eye to see that they were clouding with black. Black Dranzer was doing something.

* * *

_**You pathetic weakling! How could you let her get away!**_

**I couldn't push any further Goddammit!**

_**Liar!**_

**Stop it.**

_**You're weak! You always have been weak! Now I'm stuck with you!**_

**I'm warning you, Branzer.**

_**You can't threaten me, I'm the most powerful bit beast on the entire planet! You don't make the rules!**_

Anya kept staring out the window, trapped in a jumble of mixed words belonging to her, Black Dranzer, and Rycarraea and Kaexalea who had just jumped in to her defense. A searing pain suddenly shot through the shoulder that bore the phoenix tattoo. The sudden, unexpected pain made her hand fly to her shoulder as she yelled out in pain.

* * *

Anya suddenly clutched her left shoulder and yelled out in pain.

"Anya!"

She sank to one knee, removing her hand which now had a dark coating of blood on her palm and fingers. Underneath her hand was a blood-soaked shoulder, and it looked like some unseen force was clawing at it furiously. Tala knelt beside his teammate, whose face was contorted into a look of severe pain. Whatever the invisible force was, it suddenly stopped.

"Anya, god are you alright?"

"Black Dranzer..." She murmured, clearly still in pain.

Tala helped her up to her feet and gently laid her facedown on her bed.

"Don't move. I'll be right back."

He left the room a moment, then came back with a first aid kit in his hand. Without a word, he gently pulled her torn parka off her still battered frame. He started to roll up her sleeve, but Anya's hand lashed out and caught his wrist.

"Don't." She growled.

"Anya," He said stubbornly, "I can't help you if you won't let me."

Anya pondered a second, then sighed and released her death grip on his wrist. Tala rolled up her sleeve, uncovering countless scars and two strange metal rings about the size of a beyblade attached to her upper arm, they looked like some kind of plug for atube or something. He carefully pinned her shirt sleeve back so that it didn't touch the wound and set to cleaning it. It looked like something a set of talons did, apparently the work of Black Dranzer.

"This will sting..." He muttered before placing a cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol on her wounded shoulder.

Anya cringed at the burning sensation, one hand clutching the pillow her head lay on. The other was clenched into a fist. Tala took the cloth away, which was now soaked in blood. The tattoo on her shoulder remained intact minus the slashes. Being as gentle as he could, Tala started to bandage up his teammate's shoulder. She pulled out her pendant using her right hand and kept it in her hand. It started to glow red very softly, healing her scrapes and a few cuts, but ran out of power rather fast.

"Dammit." She cursed.

Tala finished bandaging up her shoulder, but the entire time, his curiosity had been irked and he was starting to wonder if she had more scars.

"Thanks." She muttered softly, but earnestly.

"Just how many of those scars do you have?"

Anya tensed.

"..."

Timidly, he moved the bottom of her ripped shirt up just a little more than an inch. She didn't do or say anything, but out of the corner of his eye, Tala could see her gazing intently at him. He moved her shirt hem up a little more with less shyness, and when she didn't react again, he slowly moved it up her back, uncovering many more scars. They were far too deep to be whip marks, but not deep enough to be knife cuts.

"Anya... who did this to you... and why are you letting me see this?"

Anya gave him a very serious look.

"Because I trust you."

Tala was slightly taken aback by what she had said.

"W-what?"

"I trust you." She repeated seriously but sincerely.

"Why me?"

"Because of all the people I've ever met, even if you are a pain sometimes, you're the only person who has ever showed me compassion."

Tala lightly traced one of the longest scars with one finger.

"Even I haven't ever had anything this deep."

"They've been there as long as I can remember... they hurt, and they won't stop hurting."

Tala immediately stopped tracing her scars on her back.

"You don't have to stop... They don't hurt when you do that..."

Timidly, he started again. Anya sighed, but it was a relieved sigh rather than the kind she made when she was irritated.

"What kind of person does this to a child?" He thought aloud.

"A sick mind." Anya growled.

"Whoever they are... **man** this ticks me off. That's just so wrong. Even worse than my case." He murmured, glowering at the floor.

"I'm not surprised if I killed them and don't remember it... being the monster I am."

"You're not a monster. You just sort of lost it with your Gift is all." Tala chuckled to himself. "Here you are, calling yourself a monster. How ironic that I used to do that."

Anya gave him a questioning look.

"What makes you say that?"

"When I was back at the Abbey... I was used in an experiment to create the perfect unbeatable blader. Long story short, I'm half Cyborg." He sounded very upset, admitting what he did, like he still hadn't gotten over it.

The look she gave him was so sympathetic it almost hurt.

"I'm sorry..." She said softly, but she seemed to get an idea. She rolled over and sat up.

"Do you think we could help each other through this?"

Tala gave her a questioning look.

"I know this sounds kind of crazy, but we can help each other get over this." She said pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them.

"Deal?" She stuck one hand out.

There was a short pause.

"Deal." He shook her hand, and for once, Anya's face cracked into a smile, a truly sincere smile, the kind that could light up the world.

_She looks so beautiful when she smiles.

* * *

_

Without thinking, he leaned in a bit. Anya subconsciously let her legs go and hang over the edge of the bed. Before either of them realized it, the gap between them closed as their lips met. Anya's mind was in inner turmoil.

_What the hell am I doing?_

Several flashes of the fan man rapist played in her mind.

_No._

Tala's kiss was soft, gentle and loving, he wasn't someone to be worried about. The two carried on for a moment or two, savoring the minute, and at one point, Anya could have sworn she felt Tala's hand on hers.


	10. BEGA's Dragon

**CRACK!**

From anywhere in the halls, one could hear the cracking whip as Boris took out his seemingly endless fury on Faye, whose only response was a grunt.

"YOU MISERABLE FAILURE!"

**CRACK!**

"HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE LOST!"

**CRACK!**

It kept up for quite some time until Boris was too tired to raise the whip again. It was silent except for the clumping footsteps on the hall floor. A moment later, a very battered and severely wounded Faye emerged from the torture room, bleeding and wounded, but **very** pissed off and ready to kill anyone that got in her way, despite the pain screaming from every nerve in her worn out body. Without a word, she passed by the others' rooms. The doors opened to see their co-captain, and not one of them didn't gasp. Boris was pretty tough on them as it was, but none of them had ever been that brutally beaten. Even Garland knew better than to say anything. Brooklyn's door opened as well as Faye walked past. His door was right next to hers, and being so well reminded of what she had done for him the other night, couldn't help but venture out and listen through the keyhole to see if she was ok.

Exhausted and badly weakened from the grueling whipping session, Faye collapsed onto her stomach on the bed, letting her face fall into the pillow. Everything hurt, her arms, legs, back, head, the list went on and on. She heard the door open and close quietly.

"Faye?" Someone asked softly.

"What do you want, Brooklyn." She groaned.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"If anything, put me out of my misery."

She felt one side of the bed sink down a bit from extra weight.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, but I can clean you up."

Faye said nothing as the same ritual repeated itself from last night, only this time it was the other way around for the patient and doctor. Faye growled slightly when a sharp pain went shooting up her back.

"Sorry..." Brooklyn muttered.

Before long, he finished cleaning up the blood and bandaged up the wounded co-captain.

"Boris has never been that hard on any of us before... what the hell did you do?"

Faye growled.

"If I tell you, you have to swear on your life that you won't tell a soul, even if you're being tortured to death."

"That's oddly specific, but you have my word."

Faye sighed and began her story.

"Well, for starters, I'm not entirely human..."

* * *

"Sir, Project DELTA is complete. So far, Branzer Genesis is functioning well." 

"Good, bring me the Project." The scientist disappeared into the room where the Branzer Line was being created. Branzer Genesis, though mere minutes old, was grown so that when completed would be harvested as a 17-year-old teenage girl. When the scientist brought her in, she had on only a white lab coat from one of the others, and she was still soaked with the green liquid that was keeping the other, premature Branzer Projects in suspended hibernation. Branzer Genesis was still shaky on her feet and had to be held up by the scientist. Boris smirked.

"Welcome to Balkov Abbey, 47826 DELTA." He said with a sneer.

* * *

"At the time, I couldn't understand a word he was saying. I was born like I am right now, but I still had the mind of a newborn. I didn't understand anything, but that changed quickly."

* * *

Day after day after day of training blurred into months as Branzer Genesis, aka Faye, learned and trained quickly and furiously. One half year after her creation, Branzer Turnabout was created, and by that time, Genesis had the IQ of a college graduate thanks to several upgrades. While Branzer Genesis was training, she didn't know until a year or two later that her superior, Branzer Leviathan, was in fact the oldest and most powerful.

* * *

"To this day I still don't know who Branzer Leviathan is." 

"But how does that have anything to do with Boris hitting you?"

"The fact that almost every muscle in my body is a an ultra light titanium alloy substitute, and the only way to cause pain is to whip me until I bleed all over the floor. My failure: Losing a fight to Branzer Renavatio, my target." She growled.

Brooklyn remained silent for a moment.

"I know. I'm a freak of nature."

"I don't think so."

Faye looked up from the pillow and stared intently at Brooklyn.

"Are you just saying that because you feel sorry for me? Because I don't need anyone's sympathy."

"I'm just saying that because you're still human and are being treated like a machine."

Faye hadn't been expecting that kind of answer and just lay back down.

"Good night." Brooklyn said as he got up and left.

For a while, Faye lay there, thinking, until she was finally consumed by a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Waking up early the next morning, Faye groaned as she smashed her fist down onto her useless alarm clock. It made a satisfying "CRUNCH" at the force of her fist, making her smirk as she got up out of bed. She dressed quickly –navy blue cargoes with torn knees, a black ¾ sleeve midriff and her machine-like gauntlets- and immediately went outside. The others wouldn't be up for another hour or so, giving Faye an hour to do whatever she felt like. Feeling an unusual sense called freedom, she walked through the forest through to a hill that headed down into a valley. The sun had started to rise, and just for the helluvit, she lay down in the slightly damp grass and put a piece in her mouth. A rare window of free time meant a lot to her, so this was the perfect opportunity to be alone. 

"You're up rather early."

Or not.

"Hn." She muttered, putting her hands behind her head and closing her eyes.

Faye heard Brooklyn sit down beside her. For a moment, it was silent, and just out of curiosity, she opened one eye to see him staring out at the painted sky stained purple, pink and orange with the rising sun. She closed her eye again, resuming her position. A soft tweeting was coming from her right where Brooklyn was sitting. She opened her eye again to see that he had a jay on his finger.

"I assume you like birds." She said just to break the silence.

"Mm-hmm..." He mused half-mindedly.

Faye sat up and took the grass out of her mouth, emitting a series of shrill notes like several kinds of birds. In a matter of moments, there must have been about 50 birds perched in different places on her arms, feet, shoulders, head, and wherever there was room. Brooklyn had an amused look on his face when Faye withdrew leftovers from breakfast, a half of a piece of bread, and tossed it out in crumbs in front of her. All the birds flew off her at the bread, making Brooklyn laugh. Faye lay back down in the grass and crossed her legs, putting her hands behind her head again with the piece of grass in her mouth again.

"You got a thing for animals." Brooklyn mused.

"Yep. Comes with the Gift."

Brooklyn shrugged as the bird on his hand flew away, leaving him free to copy Faye and lay back in the grass, hands behind his head. He looked to his left to see that Faye was staring intently up at the sky, like she was looking for something.

"Faye?"

She snapped out of her trance-like stare and murmured a "Sorry..." before closing her eyes.

"Are you ok?" He asked, slightly concerned.

"Mm? Oh... yeah... I guess..." She muttered in an unreadable tone.

Brooklyn rolled over so he was lying on his side, propping his head up with one arm.

"You're hiding something." He said somewhat accusingly.

"So? I have the right to have a secret, don't I?" She retorted.

"True, but considering that you trusted me enough to tell me your life's story, and you're zoning out, I think I have a right to know."

Faye sighed without opening her eyes.

"I just wonder sometimes... What's my purpose? Am I just some machine forced to work until I can't anymore? Do I even have parents? And what the hell is the meaning of MY life? I can't tell. As far as I know, my life is totally, completely, and utterly pointless. Always has been, always will be."

Brooklyn just studied her for a moment, dwelling on what she'd said. Looking over her, her expression was emotionless and betrayed nothing. Her jet-black bangs that hung in her face moved a bit in the breeze, framing her face. Her strong arms were still in a hands-behind-the-head position as his eyes moved further down. For supposedly not being fully human, she had perfectly human features such as feminine curves, smooth skin, and other womanly features that shaped her.

"My eyes are up here if you don't mind." She said icily.

"Er, sorry..."

Faye just sighed and stared up at the sky again. This time, rather than a focused look, it was more of a dreamy gaze.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I dunno, just... thinking..."

Brooklyn stared up at the sky as well and found his thoughts wandering to completely unheard of places that he hadn't thought about before. It was strange, not being able to place where his thoughts wandered. He looked over at Faye again, who seemed perfectly contented looking at the clouds. A strange feeling twisted into a knot in his stomach.

_What am I doing?_

Brooklyn couldn't quite place what the feeling was, but forced himself to snap out of it when he heard someone calling Faye's name. She sighed and got up.

"Damn bastard Boris." She growled, checking her watch. "Great. We killed 35 minutes."

She walked away to the direction of the BEGA HQ. Brooklyn followed from a distance, trying to avoid being seen. Faye walked out into the backyard where a very pissed-off looking Boris stood waiting. He started shouting at Faye in Russian, she only staring at him as if she just wanted to slap him. All of the sudden, he swung a roundhouse at Faye, who, rather than dodge or block, allowed herself to get hit in the face. Still, she did nothing. Boris spat out something in Russian again, and Faye walked off.

* * *

Heading back inside, the side of Faye's face throbbed from the hit. She heard footsteps behind her and looked over her shoulder to see Brooklyn jogging to catch up. She just kept on walking. 

"Faye!"

Faye increased her pace.

"Faye!" Brooklyn broke into a run after her.

Faye broke into a hard sprint down the hall with Brooklyn in hot pursuit. She bolted up the stairs, leaping up them about 4 at a time. Brooklyn wasn't far behind as she ran for her room. In her blind rush, she didn't realize just how fast Brooklyn was and that he was gaining rapidly. She looked over shoulder again to find him only a few feet away. Sliding around the corner of the hall, she kept on running towards her room.

* * *

Whatever Boris had said to Faye, it had made her upset enough to try and run away from Brooklyn. She whipped open her door, but being as close as he was behind her, managed to slip inside her room as she slammed the door shut. 

Slamming the door closed, Faye turned around to find herself face-to-face with Brooklyn. She sort of fell back against the door, turning her head so he couldn't see the cheek Boris had hit.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Faye." He said softly.

She eyed him suspiciously.

"I promise." He crooned, gently stroking her cheek with one hand.

Faye sighed in defeat and turned her head. A nasty blue-black bruise took up a good portion of her cheek. Brooklyn softly touched her cheek, his eyes betraying deep sympathy.

"Now I know something's going on... Faye, unless you let me, I can't help you."

She narrowed her eyes, her expression angry and loathing.

"Just leave me alone! You wouldn't understand!" She yelled, eyes glassy with tears.

She fell back against the door, hugging herself, forcing her eyes not to let her tears fall.

"Faye..."

He took the dragon in an embrace, holding her protectively against him. Though she wouldn't admit it, Faye actually was glad for his sympathy. The first tear she had ever shed in years fell silently down her bruised cheek.

"It's ok... You've been hurt, it's ok to cry." He crooned softly, stroking her hair.

* * *

Faye buried her face into his shoulder, letting the tears fall silently. She could feel his heartbeat against her chest... he was worried about her. For a while, they stayed like that, the only sound being Brooklyn's assuring Faye that it was ok to cry when you've been hurt. Faye sighed, too stubborn to let down any more tears than already shed. Brooklyn rested his chin on the top of her head, smiling. Whatever feeling that he had felt earlier, it was stronger now, but in a good way. 

_Whatever it is, it has to be her doing it._

It was at that moment that he made a silent vow to himself to protect Faye, and find out what it was in this girl that gave him such a feeling.

* * *

It was late that night as Brooklyn lay awake thinking. 

_What's wrong with me? Why do I always get so weird around Faye?_

**You're developing feelings for my mistress.** A dark voice said.

_Apocalyptica?_

**Lyptica if you prefer.**

_Why are you talking to me? Won't Zeus-_

**Zeus doesn't give a shit about me talking to you.**

_Hm. Why are you here?_

**Because I heard you thinking and Faye has been asking herself the same questions. In a different context, that is.**

_What do you mean?_

**I mean she's crushing on you and visa versa.**

_Are you serious?_

**Nope, I just felt like annoying you. OF COURSE I'M SERIOUS.**

_Well, what should I do?_

**Same thing you've been doing, being nice to her.**

_Whatever you say.

* * *

_

The next day was pretty quiet for the most part, but Faye refused to take part in anything that involved her talking to anyone. She was still extremely sore from the other night when she had been whipped so mercilessly. Garland was taking every opportunity to try and get her pissed off, but his efforts proved unrewarding. The entire time that Brooklyn had the team training, she was sitting out, absentmindedly fiddling with her blade, never taking her eyes off Apocalyptica's bit chip. Time seemed to fly faster than usual as the team finished their training. While the others were resting, Garland took the opportunity to try and get on Faye's nerves.

"So, the co-captain thinks she's too good for training, huh?" He remarked snidely.

Faye didn't respond, just kept messing around with her blade. Her silent manner was really what got on his nerves, that and the way she almost never reacted to anything he said.

"What the hell is so interesting for you to completely ignore everything?" He demanded, looking at the blade in her hands.

"The fact that it's taking my last ounce of willpower to keep from killing you." She replied calmly.

"Pfft. Like you could."

That struck a key. Faye looked up, showing her eyes which had irises narrowed into slits the way a reptile's eyes did when mad.

"Try me." She growled softly. Her tone was so silent it was deadly.

Garland smirked.

"C'mon, hit me with your best shot."

Faye's bit chip started to glow making a blood red aura surround her. In one lightning-fast move, she had landed a kick hard enough to make Garland land on his back on the ground.

"You wanna tell me that again, or will you take that back before I do some real damage?"

"Yeah right. You and what army?"

"You don't wanna know."

Garland leapt up to his feet, using whatever martial arts moves came to mind. Faye dodged each on with amazing speed and grace, making it look almost easy. Garland swung one punch, Faye catching his fist easily.

"How many times to I have to kick your ass before you figure it out that you can't beat me? It's getting dull."

"Really?" He said with a smirk. "I don't think so... Branzer Genesis."

Faye's eye twitched.

"You really are a freak of nature."

To everyone's shock, as the bit chip on her blade started to glow furiously, her fingers sharpened into claws, her eyes became wild and dragon-like, and two wings unfurled from her back, ones exactly like Apocalyptica's only scaled down to her size. A black aura surrounded her as her two canine teeth sharpened into fangs.

"TAKE. THAT. BACK." She growled, letting go of his fist.

"And if I don't?"

She bared her fangs and emitted a low threatening growl. It wasn't the normal kind of growl, it was the kind Apocalyptica made.

"LAST CHANCE." She snarled.

"Whatever."

That snapped something inside her, and in a movement so fast it was only a blur, she had Garland pinned to the ground with a foot on his chest and had one of her hands at her side clenched into a fist that was surrounded by a black aura.

"**TAKE IT BACK**!"

"OK, OK! I TAKE IT BACK!"

Faye's eyes returned to normal and the black aura disappeared. Without another word, she walked away. The others stared in the direction she left in, absolutely dumbfounded. Brooklyn took off after Faye, who hadn't gone far by the time he reached her.

"Faye?"

She whirled around to face him, eyes blazing.

"You've seen me already, ok! I'm a monster!"

"Don't talk like that, you just lost your temper a bit."

Faye laughed at him derisively.

"HA! You have no idea what my temper looks like, that was _nothing._ He was right; I AM a freak of nature." She practically growled the last part.

Her eyes were becoming reptilian again, and she was starting to lose her temper again.

"WHY CAN'T PEOPLE JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" She yelled as she beat her wings.

The impending winds created a whirlwind around her as the rest of the team came into the area.

"What the hell's going on!" Mystel shouted over the roar of the wind.

"I don't know!" Brooklyn shouted back.

The winds were growing in force, making it very hard to stay in their places without getting blown back. The whirlwind was starting to turn black as Apocalyptica started to take control of Faye. Brooklyn turned to Mystel.

"Go back to the HQ and ask for the one called Branzer Leviathan!"

Without question, Mystel bolted in the direction of the HQ.

* * *

It didn't take long for him to get to the HQ, but the Egyptian had to ask about 10 people before he found the one called Branzer Leviathan. 

_Room 153... 154... 155..._

He finally came to Room 156. Throwing open the door, he found a girl not much older than Faye sitting at her desk apparently working on something on her laptop.

"Are you Branzer Leviathan?"

She looked over her shoulder and gave him a raised eyebrow look.

"Why?" Her tone was soft and dangerous.

"Faye's completely lost it!"

"Faye?"

"Branzer Genesis!"

The girl immediately leapt up from her desk.

"Lead me to her."

* * *

Brooklyn and the others were still running and ducking for cover from the gale force winds that Apocalyptica's control over Faye had caused, and now bolts of black energy were shooting out from every angle. 

"Guys!"

Brooklyn looked over his shoulder to see Mystel with a girl of probably 18 or 19 years old running behind him, Branzer Leviathan. The girl broke into a hard sprint right past the BEGA Team, surrounded by a black aura that made the random shots of black energy bounce right off her. As soon as she was close enough, she leapt into the tornado, colliding with the hazy figure of Faye and tackling her to the ground on the other side. With her focus broken, the whirlwind lost a dramatic amount of force. Now in plain sight, the team could see Leviathan struggling to wrestle Faye to the ground. She was fighting back by attempting to get Leviathan off, but the older girl was much stronger and was overpowering her.

"Cool it Genesis!" She snapped.

Leviathan had her pinned firmly to the ground with a knee on her back, holding both her hands down. Faye was breathing heavily, no longer struggling to get away, a few incensed tears streaming down her face. Leviathan eased up a bit and let go of one of Faye's hands, pulling something from the left pouch on her belt. Whatever it was, she kept it concealed in her fist and brought it to the back of Faye's neck, and whatever the thing did, it knocked Faye out cold. Leviathan put the thing back in her belt and got up off of the now-unconscious Branzer Genesis. The wings on her back disappeared, and her clawed hands and fangs returned to normal. Without a word, Leviathan hauled Faye onto her back, walking back to the HQ and leaving the shocked BEGA Team behind.

* * *

"What happened?" Boris demanded when Branzer Leviathan, aka Seya Ruvloff, came in with Branzer Genesis out cold on her back. 

"Genesis flew off the handle." She said flatly.

Boris ran a hand over his hair.

"Take her into the lab. DELTA is our only option I suppose, unless the program she was working on is functional."

Seya said nothing as she took the elevator underground into the lab. It was empty for the present moment, thankfully. It made things easier with nobody around. Genesis groaned, then opened her eyes.

"I can't move..." She muttered.

"I know. That shot temporarily paralyzed you." She responded bluntly.

Genesis didn't say anything else as Seya placed her on the table normally used for operating, but in this case it was for other purposes. Firing up the computer, she attached the ports to Genesis' forehead, the ones that would transfer the DELTA Upgrade effects into her head. Seya had taken the liberty of altering the program so that rather than being the one to give life to Projects, it now kept them under control. At least, the ones those were here. She still remembered the night that Branzer Renavatio broke out and took Branzers E-Fusion, Turnabout, and Genesis II with her. The machine beeped several times, signifying that the download was complete. Genesis was still awake, but just barely. Leviathan detached the ports and picked up the paralyzed project, carrying her back upstairs and putting her in her room until Genesis was no longer paralyzed.

* * *

While the others were too scared to come near Faye's room, Brooklyn worked up the nerve to walk up to her door and knock. 

"Faye? Are you alright?"

He heard a sigh.

"You just don't know when to give up do you?"

Brooklyn opened the door to see her lying face up on her bed, not moving at all.

"Well, you might as well come in, I can't stop you."

"Why not?" He asked, sitting down in her desk chair.

"_Because_ I'm paralyzed from the neck down for half an hour until this goddamn shot wears off." She replied bluntly.

For a moment, they sat there in silence until Faye tried to blow a raven black lock of hair out of her face. Brooklyn got up from her chair and sat down beside her on the bed, brushing the hair away from her face, but rather than stopping there he started stroking her hair away from her face.

"There's no getting rid of you, huh?... Why are you being so nice to me?"

"I'm returning the favor."

"You already did."

"So? Why do I have to stop there?"

Faye said nothing. Brooklyn just kept stroking her hair away from her face, giving him the opportunity to study her face. Her expression remained the same, emotionless and unfeeling. A thin line formed her mouth, but what really got his attention were her black eyes. They were completely black, but they looked so empty and cold, almost like there was nothing in them at all. She was staring up at him with a fierce look in her eyes, one that was telling him that she was too stubborn to admit she needed help.

* * *

Brooklyn was looking intently into Faye's eyes, like he was searching for something she wasn't telling him. His own blue ones wouldn't tear away from hers, and for some reason, they were flickering. Faye jerked to the side a bit, and with a lot of difficulty, managed to sit up. Brooklyn put an arm behind her back to hold her upright. 

"You're hiding something, and whatever it is, I have the feeling I really should know." He said stubbornly.

She stared at him with an intent glare.

"You wanna know what my problem is?"

"Yes, I do."

Before he could react, she kissed him... right on the lips. She pulled back after a second, Brooklyn looking at her with an expression of shock.

"You probably think I'm really stupid right now."

Of all the possible training she had ever been through, nothing could have prepared her for the response Brooklyn gave her. Before she could react, he leaned forward again and gently kissed her on the lips. Faye practically reeled at the sudden rush of feelings that swept through her. She wasn't used to such emotions, let alone ones this powerful. Seeming to sense her uneasiness, Brooklyn pulled back. The two looked at each other a moment in an awkward silence.

"Faye... what happened back there?" Brooklyn asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know... I got mad, then I just sort of lost it." She murmured.

She suddenly slammed her fist on her nightstand, making a CRUNCH sound, suggesting that she nearly broke it in half.

"And it's all because of the SHIT Boris put me through." She growled.

"Why don't you do something about it? He hurts you, and you shouldn't have to put up with it. You're way stronger than Boris, you can fight back."

"I can't." She growled softly.

"Why not?"

"It's been hardwired into me for 16 years."

"I thought you were 17."

"That's the age I was made be when I was created. I won't start aging until the day of my 17th birthday."

"Which is?"

"About a year from now, so in reality, I'm really only 16 years old."

Brooklyn paused, his expression showing he was thinking.

"I know, it's sort of confusing. Just one other thing. Faye isn't my real name, and I don't know what it is."

"Interesting..."

There was another pause.

"Dammit." Faye growled at herself.

"What's wrong?"

"Branzer Leviathan still has Apocalyptica." She replied while trying to get up.

When she had succeeded in leaning heavily on the wall, she forced herself to take a step or two before collapsing to her knees from exhaustion. Whatever Leviathan had injected into her bloodstream, it had drained her of nearly every last shred of strength the stubborn dragon had. Brooklyn managed to help her up to her feet with one of her arms draped over his shoulders and his arm around her waist.

"Faye, you're in no shape to be going after your bit beast right now. You can't even stand on your own."

Faye stared at him with a stern expression.

"Brooklyn, I need to get Apocalyptica back. Of all the shit I've been through, Apocalyptica was always there for me. He made sure that I kept going and never let go. It's my turn to be there for him." She said with an evocative tone. "You have no idea what they've done to my dragon and I refuse to let it happen again as long as I'm so close to stopping it."

Brooklyn sighed in defeat.

"Alright. But we'll move faster if I carry you."

Brooklyn pulled Faye onto his back and pulled open the door.

"Where to?"

As the duo moved further and further below ground into the dark recesses of the subversive lab, Brooklyn was starting to get a little nervous. Slowly, he opened the door at the end of a long passageway to find the laboratory that Faye had been leading him to. Nobody was there, at least, nowhere in sight. He let Faye down so that she was leaning on him again, though not as heavily as before. ("I heal fast.") Her eyes were darting in every possible direction. She closed her eyes, then opened them after a moment.

"Over there." She whispered pointing to the left.

The two walked in the direction as silently as possible, and to Faye's utter shock, in front of them was a glass container filled with a green liquid and in the middle of it was a scaled-down version of Apocalyptica, curled up into a ball as if trying to enclose itself in its wings like a shield.

"Lyptica..." Faye murmured sadly.

Brooklyn looked to the bottom of the glass encasement to see Faye's blade, the Apocalypse X, locked into the base.

"How are you going to get it out of there?"

Faye responded by standing fully upright with whatever strength she had left and placed the palm of her hand against the glass, eyes closed. She was surrounded by a dark red aura, which enveloped the glass, cracking it until the glass shattered and the green liquid came flooding out all over the floor. Heavy footsteps could be heard clomping down the hall at a rapid pace, alerting both bladers. Out of pure instinct, Brooklyn grabbed Apocalyptica out of the clamps in the base and pushed Faye behind a large machine beside him, well out of sight where she sat in a crouched position, wearing a surprised and confused expression. The door slammed open, and much to Brooklyn's dismay, it was Boris.

"**Brooklyn**!" He bellowed, face reddening with visible rage. "What the hell are you doing down here!"

"I, uh…." Brooklyn stuttered, the hand containing Apocalyptica hidden behind his back.

"What's this!" Boris demanded, grabbing Brooklyn's arm, revealing the Dark dragon. Boris glanced at the shattered glass and smirked sinisterly.

"So, you like breaking things, eh?"

Boris drew back a fist to strike Brooklyn, who shut his eyes expecting to be hit.

"Don't you **DARE** touch him!"

Brooklyn opened his eyes to see Faye standing in front of him, arms spread protectively. Her intense black eyes were ablaze with righteous fury, and she looked about ready to kill Boris for even **thinking** of hurting him. Boris smirked.

"So, you're willing to take the fall for him."

Faye narrowed her eyes in defiance.

"Do what you like to me, but **no one** hurts Brooklyn when I have something to say about it, especially to a bastard like you." She snarled.

Brooklyn was very much surprised by Faye being so protective of him, but was careful not to show it.

"Brooklyn, get out of here." Faye muttered under her breath.

Reluctantly, he left as Boris' shadow advanced on Faye's on the wall.

* * *

"I don't believe it." 

"Oh yeah!" Brooklyn yelled at an indignant Garland. "Faye protected me from Boris, and-"

Garland cut him off by waving it off and folding his arms again. The rest of the team looked on as the redhead and the team captain continued to argue.

"You listen to me you arrogant bastard, just because you don't like Faye doesn't mean you have to be a stubborn jackass!" Brooklyn snarled.

Garland was about to shoot a comeback when the door at the end of the hall opened. A dark figure walked lamely out into the hall, a pair of black eyes shooting a dark death glare at Garland, then they limped to Faye's room and weakly shut the door. Brooklyn walked towards Faye's door, but Garland held out an arm and stopped him.

"As team captain, I'm forbidding you to see her at this time."

Much to everyone's shock, Brooklyn whirled around and slugged Garland a roundhouse hard enough to bloody his nose.

"Don't you _ever_ tell me whether or not I can see her!" He growled threateningly.

To Garland's smug amusement, the door was locked.

"Well, I hope you're happy." Brooklyn hissed before walking into his own room, slamming the door behind him.

The rest of the team glared at Garland. He sighed in defeat.

"Alright, fine. I'll try to talk to her." He sighed.

Garland sauntered over to Faye's door and knocked on the door.

"Faye? Could you unlock the door?"

It was absolutely silent.

"Faye?"

Something was very, very wrong about the stillness of it.

"Faye, open the god damn door or I'm breaking it down." He growled.

Deadly silence.

"You asked for it."

Gathering all his strength, Garland rammed his shoulder against the door as hard as he could, breaking the door down after 3 tries. He gasped at what he saw lying on the ground.

* * *

From out in the halls, the rest of the BEGA Team was shocked as Garland came running out of Faye's room with her in his arms, blood pouring from countless, severe wounds all over her body. 

"Somebody call an ambulance!"

Ming-Ming whipped out her phone as Brooklyn threw open the door to his room and his eyes widened when he saw Faye lying unconscious and bleeding in Garland's arms. An ambulance arrived shortly and rushed the dragon off to the hospital.

* * *

It had been nearly an hour since the BEGA Team had any word about Faye's condition. Last they heard, she was in critical condition with the list as follows: 

-5 broken ribs

-Broken left wrist

-Fractured right wrist

-Broken left ankle

-Internal and external bleeding

-Broken nose

-Ruptured blood vessel in head

-Failing heart

It broke Brooklyn's heart to see her that way, and he blamed himself for it since she had taken it for him. Even Garland was concerned, after all, their teammate's life was hanging in the balance by a very thin thread. Finally, a doctor came out looking very solemn. Brooklyn stood up.

"How is she?" He asked cautiously.

The doctor sighed.

"Not good. She's just fallen into a coma, and her chances of survival are slimmed down to almost nothing."

"How slim?"

"Only a 5 percentchance. I'm sorry." He turned and walked away.

Brooklyn sank back into his chair, burying his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. The BEGA Team was shocked. Brooklyn _never_ cried, EVER.

"This is all my fault…." He choked. "I never should have left her alone….."

A nurse walked up to the group.

"You may see her now."

* * *

The sight was a heartbreaking one. Faye had tubes seemingly coming out of everywhere, including one protruding from her throat that was draining blood from her lungs. Her heartbeat that was being recorded on the vital signs monitor was very weak, barely sustaining her. Faye was covered in bandages, all of them in need of changing from the blood soaking right through. The others left, giving Brooklyn some time alone with Faye. He sat down next to her on the chair by her bed and gently took her hand, letting his tears fall freely. 

"Faye, I'm so sorry…. I never should have let you take that punishment for me…." He murmured softly, tears rolling down his cheeks.

It was about then that he remembered Apocalyptica in his pocket. Pulling it out, he sighed and pressed it into her hand. Her fingers subconsciously closed around her blade, and for some reason, the bit chip glowed a soft red color as a dragon the size of a falcon emerged and sat beside its mistress.

"Apocalyptica?"

_There is still a chance that you may save her._ The dragon crooned.

"What do you mean? What can I do?" He asked, willing to do anything.

There is only one person with the bit beast power to bring her back, but it's not likely she will comply.

"Who can I turn to?"

_Find Branzer Renavatio, and Faye will live._ The dragon faded away, and the bit chip ceased glowing.

_I will find you, Branzer Renavatio, I swear._


	11. Finding Renavatio

While Faye lay barely alive in the hospital, Anya was totally oblivious to what was going on. She was hacking into the Abbey's old files in an attempt to figure something out, something that had been eating at her patience for the past week. It was extremely difficult to get in since the Abbey scientists changed the codes on an hourly basis, and they never used the same code twice. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. Her usually iron patience was wearing thinner with each failure code. She had already broken through 8 of 10 codes, and it was very difficult despite her skills as a nearly professional hacker. A knock came on her door.

"Anya?"

"C'mon in."

Tala opened the door, TJ leaping off the bed and clamping his teeth onto his boot, growling and attempting to "kill" his "prey".

"Stupid mutt…." He muttered irritably, shaking TJ off.

The wolf pup, bored, scampered downstairs, probably to find Kai.  
He looked at the computer monitor while Anya cussed at it in German.  
"Dumm stück von scheiße…." ("Stupid piece of shit….")

"Still at it?" He asked, bemused at her bullheadedness.

"Yeah."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Anya, you haven't slept in 3 days, you never take your eyes off the monitor except to train, and I've heard you swear at the computer."

"Very funny."

"Why don't you take a break?"

"Not when I'm this close."

"Oh, you mean as close as you were yesterday?" He asked with a smirk.

"Shut up." She growled, getting up from her seat and stretching.

Anya froze internally when Tala slipped his arms around her shoulders, bringing his face mere millimeters away from her ear.

"That's not very nice, is it Anya?" He whispered, the heat of his breath making Anya shiver.

Much to her astonishment and shock (mostly shock) he started to tenderly nuzzle her neck, burying his face into her soft brown hair.

"You're so tense…" He pointed out while gently sliding his hands down her sides, stopping at her hips and locking his arms around her waist. "Even Kai isn't this obsessive with anything."

Anya rolled her eyes.

"Figures you'd compare me to Kai."

"Are you implying what I hope you're not implying?"

"Yep." She replied with a smirk.

Even though both had admitted feelings towards one another, they were always at each others' throats, and Anya was still good at driving Tala crazy. Her smug reply made Tala let go, just as she had intended.

"I can't believe how gullible you are." She said with a smirk.

Tala shot her a glare, making her laugh.

"I am **not** gay." He growled.

"Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure." She replied.

The next thing she knew, Tala had her pinned to the wall, his face inches from hers.

"_Really_? If I wasn't straight, would I do this?"

Before she could react, Tala leaned in and softly kissed her on the lips.

_Damn my weak spot._ She cursed at herself.

Her "weak spot" was the tiny little detail that she couldn't resist his gentle touch and kisses, no matter how hard she tried to. Tala pulled away, trying to keep from smirking.

"Damn you Valkov." Anya growled playfully, making Tala smirk openly.

"Oh gross, get a room!"

Both bladers looked to the door where Ian was standing.

"News flash runt, this _is _my room, and I'm about to KILL YOU FOR BARGING IN!"

Ian ran down the hall screaming as both bladers ran after him, hell-bent on murdering the snooping little weasel. From anywhere in the house, one could hear Anya and Tala yelling at Ian, who was screaming, and running for his life at the same instant.

"**COME BACK HERE AND FACE YOUR PAINFUL MASSACERING LIKE A MAN!" **–Anya

"**I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU, YOU MISERABLE LITTLE SHRIMP!"** –Tala

The others looked up from their activities downstairs to see Ian run past, and a half second later was followed by a black streak, presumably Anya, who seemed to be moving at 50 miles per hour. Tala appeared a second or two later, mainly because Anya was incredulously _fast _as well as strong. Bryan, never being one to pass up the opportunity to humiliate the wolf, decided he needed a speed bump and stuck his foot out right in Tala's path, sending him sprawling across the floor. Spencer lazily kicked the door open, Ian seizing the opportunity and bolting out. Anya slowed to a leisurely walk and slammed the door shut. A smug grin played her face as she admired her handiwork while Ian seemed to realize that he had been locked outside and had started pounding on the door. Tala looked about ready to strangle Bryan, who was rolling on the floor laughing. Tala suddenly smirked and whistled the tune that he'd heard Anya use. TJ, hearing the whistle, perked up his ears and ran over, pouncing on Bryan's foot and sinking his canine teeth into his boot, yanking at it until the thing came off.

"Hey! Give that back!" He yelled, getting up and giving chase.

Anya whipped the door open as TJ came to a dead halt, but since Bryan didn't stop fast enough and Ian hadn't thought to move away from the door, the two collided head-on, Anya slamming the door shut behind him.

"GUYS! This isn't funny!" Bryan yelled through the door.

Anya looked down at TJ, who looked very smug in his work. For a while, the team ignored Bryan and Ian. Spencer, Tala and Anya entertained themselves by tormenting the others by making childish faces at Ian and Bryan through the window over Kai's head, who was sitting on the couch, reading. Though it was muffled, all 4 bladers could hear the two outside swearing in Russian.

"Hey guys, you hear something?" Anya asked with a smirk.

"No." –Spencer

"Not me." –Tala

"Nope." –Kai

Even TJ was taking part in the torment and had settled himself comfortably in the window while proceeding to shred Bryan's boot to shreds with his teeth while its owner was watching, fuming and yelling something about turning the wolf cub into a fur coat.

"You have a sick, twisted mind." Tala said to Anya, who smirked.

"I know." She replied smugly.

Much to Tala's surprise, she smacked him upside the head.

"OW! What was that for!" He yelled, holding his head where she'd smacked him.

"That was for leaving the door open in the first place and letting Ian come in!" She shouted back, trying to keep from laughing at his expression.

"Hmph." He grumbled, rubbing the back of his head where it was sore.

Anya smirked and put her hands in her pockets, whistled to TJ, and walked back upstairs with the wolf pup trotting at her heels.

* * *

Meanwhile in America, the All Starz were waiting impatiently in the lobby. Steve had gotten in a football accident, and they were waiting for their teammate to come out. They knew his ankle would be broken and he wouldn't be able to blade this year, and they still had to get a teammate to replace him. Judy said she had found one online, and they were supposed to show up in the BBA HQ in New York in 3 hours. Finally, the door opened and Steve came out on crutches.

"How do ya feel?" Michael asked.

Steve smirked.

"Like I've been hit by a fucking tank."

"Well, considering the size of the guy that tackled you, I'd say that was pretty accurate." Emily joked.

The team had a good laugh and the remaining All Starz headed off to try and beat the rush hour traffic to the HQ.

It was a good half hour before they got there, but the new mystery blader still hadn't showed up. No matter how much Michael prodded, Judy wouldn't say anything about the new blader, only that they specialized in wrestling and hockey, and went for speed when it came to beyblading. Emily was trying to picture a hot wrestler coming through the doorway while the others waited, impatiently to say the least. Max seemed to be the only one not fidgeting. Finally, the doors opened and a kid walked in. Their face was mostly shadowed by a wide-brimmed black cowboy hat, also hiding their hair.

"Are you the new blader?" Max asked.

"Yep." The person responded with a playful smirk before taking off the hat.

Navy hair spilled out and fell to their shoulders and a pair of brown eyes appeared.

"A girl!" Michael yelled, making Emily and Judy glare at him.

"You got a problem with that tough guy?" She demanded calmly as she slowly folded her arms with a raised eyebrow.

"Team, this is Roxy Freeman, your new teammate." Judy announced.

"Hey." She said with a cute wink and held up one hand as a gesture of friendliness.

Roxy was introduced to everyone on the team including a disappointed Emily. Max had blushed about 5 shades of red when she gave him a mind-melting smile. Michael just folded his arms and grumbled.

"Girls."

* * *

Meanwhile in northern Russia, Team Psykick was waiting patiently for their newest teammate at the airport. The only flight that he had been able to get had wound up arriving at 5 in the morning, so Goki and Jim were sound asleep sitting against the wall while Salima and Kane remained with their eyes on Gate 14A. Finally, the new boy's flight came in. As Kane so recalled, the new boy said he would be about 15 years old, 5'6" and had said he would be wearing a black jacket, navy shirt and gray pants according to an e-mail sent over the Internet. Two pairs of alert eyes searched the crowds for said blader.

"There he is." Kane said pointing to a boy in the crowd.

Salima studied his face. It was one you could call handsome, though not quite as mature as most boys his age. Kane walked over to him and said something, too far away to be heard clearly. The new boy shook his hand and followed the team captain over to the rest of Team Psykick.

"Uh Salima, would you mind waking Tweedle-Dumb and Tweedle-Dumber up?" He sighed in frustration.

Salima delivered a good hard kick to her sleeping teammates, making both wake up on impact.

"Jeez Salima, what the hell was that for!" Jim demanded.

Kane cleared his throat and gestured to the new boy.

"Oops, sorry, I forgot to tell you our names." Kane said sheepishly.

"Ditto. The name's Ryan. Ryan Kodrik." He replied with a kawaii smile.

"Well, you already know who I am; this is Salima, Goki and Jim."

Ryan shook hands with each of them, Salima blushing when he shook hers.

"So, you guys still have to tell me what team I'm joining." Ryan pointed out.

Kane smiled.

"Ryan, welcome to Team Psykick."

* * *

Back in Japan, the BBA Revolution was just getting off their plane from Russia. Tyson and Hilary weren't speaking to each other after a stupid argument nobody remembered the topic of while Jolt trailed at the back of the group. He couldn't help but think that something was a bit off, and whatever it was, he had the feeling that it would change things... drastically.

* * *

Sitting at Faye's desk, Brooklyn was typing furiously trying to collect as much information about Branzer Renavatio as possible. So far, he had only managed to break 0 of 8 security codes to getting into her laptop's system. Apocalyptica was helping as much as he could, but being so far away back at the hospital with Faye, the dragon was of little assistance. Growing frustrated, Brooklyn started drumming his fingers on the desk, trying to think.

_Dammit._

He'd been at it for nearly 7 hours straight now. Getting up to stretch, Brooklyn started pacing trying to get the blood flowing. A minute passed, then 2, then 5. Faye's Marquee screensaver appeared.

_Rebirth. 74986. BranzerProject. Dryzalaia. Raidraia. Kaexalea. Faeryxea. DELTA._

An odd series of words.

_Wait._

Grabbing a slip of paper and pen, Brooklyn scribbled down the words and moved the mouse to make the first code appear. Hands shaking, he typed in _Renavatio._

**ACCESS APPROVED.**

Brooklyn punched the air with a fist in triumph. Faye had intentionally arranged her screensaver to say all of the Balkov Abbey Codes. Seven security codes later, Brooklyn finally broke in. A search window appeared.

B-R-A-N-Z-E-R R-E-N-A-V-A-T-I-O.

A window appeared with a profile that looked like this:

**Branzer Project IV**

Project Code: 74986 DELTA

Project Name: Branzer Renavatio DELTA

DNA Fusion: Black Dranzer

Gender: Female

Age: 16

Hair: Brown

Eyes: Blue

Height: 5'7"

Name: Anya Jaye Slovanik

Real name: Drayea Cree Calov

Occupation: Beyblader

Bit Beast: Black Dranzer (Branzer)

Blade: Phoenix Strata

Species: Dark Phoenix

Element: Shadow/Wind

Attack: 4 stars

Defense: 3 stars

Endurance: 1 star

Team: Blitzkrieg Boys

**Attacks: **

Dark Saber (Offense, Shadow)

Shadow Arrows (Offense, Shadow)

Eclipse Emission (Offense, Shadow)

Spiral Survivor (Defense, Shadow)

**Upgrades:**

DELTA Upgrade

* * *

A picture of an all-too familiar blader appeared beside the information.

_So this is Branzer Renavatio. Anya IS Renavatio._ Brooklyn thought bitterly. _Figures._

After all, she DID have the Dark phoenix as well as twin Fire and Ice phoenixes.

_Of course!_

Phoenix tears healed wounds, and Anya was the one with the phoenixes and power to save her. Growing curious, Brooklyn printed out the page for future reference and went back to search a different topic.

B-R-A-N-Z-E-R G-E-N-E-S-I-S.

Faye's profile appeared on the screen, and it looked like this:

**Branzer Project II**

Project Code: 47826 DELTA

Project Name: Branzer Genesis

DNA Fusion: Black Dranzer, Apocalyptica

Gender: Female

Age: 17

Hair: Black

Eyes: Black

Height: 5'7"

Name: Faye Sasha Cadnik

Real name: Meridia Tanya Calov

Occupation: Beyblader, Assassin, Hacker, Hunter

Bit Beast: Apocalyptica

Blade: Apocalypse X

Species: Dragon/Demon

Element: Dark/Demon

Attack: 5 stars (off the scale)

Defense: 2 stars

Endurance: 2 stars

Team: BEGA Team

**Attacks: **

Phantom Shadow (Offense, Dark)

Apocalypse Reign (Offense, Demon)

Phantom Barrier (Defense, Dark/Demon)

Eclipse Apocalypse (Final Attack, Dark/Demon)

**Upgrades: **

DELTA Upgrade

* * *

Brooklyn studied the page, deep in thought.

_So, her real name is Meridia._ He puzzled.

Shaking it off, he grabbed his blade and launcher, printed out the profile and headed out the door with Renavatio's and Genesis's profiles in his hand.

* * *

Meanwhile, Anya eventually relented and let Bryan and Ian inside, but not without getting them to repeat over and over again, "I am a total moronic doofus and am not worthy of your kindness." Miraculously, Kai had cracked up with Tala and Spencer when Bryan had immediately taken off after TJ shouting what sounded like, "**JUST WAIT TIL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOU SATANIC BALL OF WORTHLESS FUZZ!**" He had stopped when TJ had hidden behind Anya's leg, whom had already merged with Rycarraea and had flaming fists, looking ready to kill. TJ looked very smug with his work and sauntered over to Kai, leapt up onto the couch and rested his head on Kai's knee. Kai responded by scratching TJ behind the ears, making the wolf cub let out a contented sigh. Anya shook her head. Kai had really taken to the little rascal whether he admitted it or not. Grabbing her Phoenix Strata blade, Anya grabbed her parka and went outside to train.

* * *

Staring out the window of the bus, Brooklyn drummed his fingers impatiently. It was one whole hour to get from downtown where the BEGA HQ was to get to the large house the Blitzkrieg Boys were staying, and the worried blader's mind still lingered on Faye. Her condition hadn't improved or worsened since she'd gotten the beating of a lifetime, but the fact that her life hung in the balance was taking a toll on Brooklyn. As it started to snow lightly outside, he sighed.

_Please be alright, Faye.

* * *

_

"_Where am I?"_ _Faye asked herself. _

_A blackness unlike any dark she had ever seen had enveloped the dragon like a dark abyss. Out of the darkness, a scaled-down version of Apocalyptica appeared on all fours. He was now about the size of a small horse._

"_Lyptica?" She called out to her bit beast._

"_Mistress." He said, acknowledging her._

"_Where am I? And what's going on?" She asked, slightly panicking._

"_Calm down Meridia."_

_Faye was taken back by her dragon's words. _

"_M-Meridia?" She stuttered._

"_Yes mistress, your real name is Meridia." _

_Faye gave her bit beast a confused look._

"_Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"_

"_It's a long story that I will get to later."_

_The blackness around Meridia/Faye_ (I'm going to call her Meridia from now on)_ suddenly faded away to show a hospital room. Looking down, Meridia saw Brooklyn bent over a hospital bed. _

"_He's crying..." _

_Meridia looked over to the bed and gasped. Lying there, bleeding, bruised and mostly dead was herself! She barely recognized herself, she was that beaten up. _

"_Faye, I'm so sorry... I never should have let you take that punishment for me..." He murmured softly with tears rolling down his face. Meridia's heart felt like it had been shattered into a million pieces. It was painful to see Brooklyn hurting like that, and there wasn't anything she could do about it._

"_This was about 2 days ago when you came in. Right now, I'm not really sure where Brooklyn is."_

"_Still, how did you figure out what my name is?" _

_Apocalyptica sighed and sat down on his haunches._

"_For over 7 hours, Brooklyn was at your laptop trying to get into the Abbey files to figure out who Branzer Renavatio was."_

"_Why find Renavatio?"_

"_Because her trio of phoenixes could easily bring you back. At the present moment, the doctors have narrowed your chances of survival from 5 percent from 2 days ago to nothing. Unless Brooklyn can get Renavatio to use her phoenixes to help you, I hate to say this... but you won't survive." Apocalyptica said the last bit quietly._

"_But why did that have anything to do with my name?"_

"_I was trying to help him get into the Abbey files through Zeus. When he broke in, he looked up your profile as well as Renavatio's. Boris has been hiding your true identity from you, and your name is Meridia Tanya Calov."_

"_Anything else I should know about?"_

"_Oh, yes, just one other thing. Branzer Renavatio is your biological sister."

* * *

_

"Rycarraea, now!"

The Phoenix Strata started moving in the new pattern Anya had designed at amazing speed, slashing the boulders set up in the arena to gravel-sized pieces. The blade returned to its mistress and leapt up into her waiting hand. Anya pulled out her launcher again and slotted her blade into it, preparing to launch again. Out of the blue, a sudden pang of alertness caused her ultra-sharp hearing to pick up wind on metal. In one faster-than-lightning move, Anya whirled around, ripping the ripcord out of her launcher and sending her blade rocketing at a black streak that was heading her way. The mid-air collision caused Anya's blade to smash into the opposer with so much force that it sent it shooting back to where it came from. Anya caught her blade in one hand with no effort required, eyes closed. She opened them again as a gloved hand caught the blade.

"Anya." An all-too familiar voice said.

Anya narrowed her eyes.

"What do you want, Brooklyn." She growled.

The orange-haired boy stepped out of the shadows as a soft, frigid wind picked up.

* * *

Brooklyn stepped out of the shadows to face the one called Branzer Renavatio. When he had battled her, he hadn't really been able to see Anya's face. Up close, he almost gasped when he saw the slight resemblance to Faye, er, Meridia. Though her eyes and hair were different, as the wind picked up, her fierce and intense eyes flashed the same way Meridia's did when she got mad. Anya narrowed her eyes.

"Well?" Anya demanded.

Brooklyn lowered his head, shadowing his face, but kept his eyes on her.

"I'm here to ask for your help."

* * *

Back inside, TJ suddenly lifted his head from its spot on Kai's knee, ears perked up.

"What is it boy?" Kai asked cautiously.

TJ suddenly leapt down from the couch and ran over to the door and started clawing at it frantically, yapping and barking. The other Blitzkrieg Boys looked up from whatever they were doing. TJ pulled back a second and snarled at the door before attacking it again. Something was wrong... Tala walked over to the door and opened it, TJ immediately bolting outside. Now that he had grown a bit, his long legs made it seem that the wolf was flying over the snow. Sensing something gone awry, Tala rushed back in, grabbed his blade and launcher and ran outside after the wolf. The others seemed to catch on and followed suit.

* * *

"Don't make me laugh." Anya growled.

"I'm not kidding, Anya. Or should I say Drayea." Brooklyn responded calmly.

Getting mad, Anya whipped out her loaded launcher.

"Last chance. GET AWAY." She snarled.

Brooklyn held up a few papers.

"I know this sounds crazy, but I have right here who you are and what you don't remember."

The last half of the phrase caught Anya by surprise, causing her to slightly lower her launcher. All of the sudden, a white streak with red-tipped ears came tearing into the clearing, coming to a halt in front of Anya. It was none other than TJ, and he looked furious. A split second later, the rest of the Russian team burst into the clearing, panting, furious, and all wielding their loaded beyblade launchers.

"GET. AWAY. FROM. HER." Tala growled between panting breaths, shooting a death glare at Brooklyn over his launcher.

The others did the same. Brooklyn narrowed his eyes, getting thoroughly annoyed.

"You've got it all wrong! I'm not after Anya, I'm asking for her help."

"How do we know you can be trusted?" Kai demanded.

"You can't be sure, but I willingly hand over Zeus in exchange for your services... and temporary trust." He said pulling out his blade and throwing it to Anya.

She easily caught it in one hand. Anya looked at it. It wasn't a copy, he had to be telling the truth. She turned back to Brooklyn as she returned her still-loaded launcher into one pocket and put Zeus in the other.

"Fine. But you do anything to lose our trust and you'll never see Zeus again." She growled.

* * *

One half hour and 8 security codes later, the Blitzkrieg Boys and Brooklyn were all looking at Anya's computer monitor at her profile as Branzer Renavatio.

"Well, THAT answers a lot of questions." Ian muttered.

Anya slumped back in her chair and ran a hand over her hair.

"See? Meridia's is the same."

Sure enough, Faye/Meridia's picture and profile appeared when Anya put in a search for Branzer Genesis.

"How many of these things are there?" She wondered aloud.

"I don't know, but the reason I came here is to ask of your help. Boris did something to Meridia and right now she's lying in the hospital, dying. You are the only person that can save her."

"Me? Why me?"

"Her bit beast Apocalyptica told me of your phoenixes' healing powers. Even though she's connected to Black Dranzer, it isn't doing anything to help the situation." Brooklyn explained.

Anya sighed.

"Fine. But you had better make sure she leaves me and my team alone." She growled.

* * *

Back at the hospital, the team cringed when they saw the condition Meridia was in. According to the doctor, she no longer stood any chance of surviving. She had been hurt far too badly.

"What happened to her?" Anya asked/gasped in disbelief.

"We tried to get her bit beast back from Boris and I got caught. She defended me and took the beating." Brooklyn said quietly.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEPPP!

"Faye!"

"She's flatlining!"

Anya, er, Drayea whipped out her Phoenix Strata blade and pointed it at her dying counterpart.

"Rycarraea, Kaexalea, heal!" She shouted.

The bit chip was split by two colors of light, ice blue and fire red as 4 doctors rushed into the room. The shrieks of two phoenixes could be faintly heard as the room temperature soared and ice formed on the walls. A mixed aura surrounded both Meridia and Drayea, transferring the phoenix wielder's energy into the dragon wielder. The frightened doctors stood paralyzed in the doorway as some of Meridia's injuries appeared on Drayea from the transfer's side effects. The cut on the corner of her mouth where a trickle of blood formed, a black eye, and countless bruises and cuts. The vital signs monitor started to display signs of life, and soon they were beating in sync with Drayea's healthy pulses.

"It is done."

She lowered her arm and put her blade back into her pocket. Without another word, the Russian team left the others behind.

* * *

Back at the Blitzkrieg Boys' place, it was awkwardly silent until Anya, now called Drayea, went up to her room to bandage up her new wounds. Tala followed her out of concern when she mentioned "the wounds' need to develop and she would be extremely irritable with them."

Coming to the end of the hall, Tala knocked on the door.

"Anya? Er, Drayea? You need any help?"

Silence.

"Drayea?"

He tried the doorknob. It was open, and he was shocked to find Drayea on the ground clutching her head.

"Drayea!"

Tala ran to her side and pulled her into his lap as she let go of her head.

"Drayea are you alright?" He asked worriedly.

"I remember everything..." She murmured with her eyes still clenched shut.

"What do you mean?"

"The transfer... it gave me my memory back..."

* * *

Back at the hospital, it was announced that Meridia was now in stable condition. Brooklyn was waiting impatiently by her side wishing she would wake up soon. It was hard, but he knew she would wake up eventually... He sighed and took his lover's hand.

_Wake up soon..._


	12. Leviathan's Debut and a Life Owed

The MG Effect: Chapter 12

Brooklyn stirred in his sleep, then realizing where he was, he sat bolt upright. Looking down at Meridia, his eyes met obsidian black ones.

"About time you woke up, lazy sod."

Next thing she knew, Brooklyn had pulled her into a tight, warm embrace.

"Meridia, you're okay..."

Meridia was a bit surprised to feel her shoulder grow moist from his tears. He eventually pulled away to look her in the eyes.

"You have no idea how worried I was about you."

"Brooklyn, I know this is a little hasty, but we can't waste any time. Boris is going after the other Branzers, and-"

"Just how many are there?"

"Six, but we have to go, **now**. We can't let Boris get to the others or we're screwed." She muttered fighting to get up, but fell back on the pillows from lack of energy.

"Dammit..."

"Meridia, you're still too weak to go anywhere. If it hadn't been for Drayea, you would be dead right now."

"I know..."

Brooklyn scowled at the floor.

"And when I see Boris again, I'll-"

"It wasn't Boris that did it to me."

"What?"

"Boris isn't strong enough to do that much damage... It was Branzer Leviathan."

* * *

Meanwhile at the Blitzkrieg Boys' place, Drayea had just finished explaining her past after regaining it from the transfer. Tala had picked her up off the ground and sat her on the bed positioning her so that her head was resting against the front of his shoulder and her back was pulled against his chest, arms wrapped protectively around her waist. As it turned out, the dream she so often had was from the night she broke out with Branzers E-Fusion, Turnabout and Genesis II, who was the boy she remembered, Saidran. They were all her siblings, taken from the same mother.

"Damn, that makes my childhood look pretty good."

Drayea rolled her eyes at the comment. Typical Tala response.

"No kidding."

There was a short pause. Drayea turned her head to look at Tala. He looked over at her, somehow knowing what she was about to say by her eyes.

"So, how do we break it to the guys?" Drayea asked.

"Who says we have to tell them? They'll figure it out sooner or later. They're not stupid."

"Though some are more so than others..."

Tala chuckled at the sarcastic comment, knowing she was referring to Ian. Drayea suddenly sighed and turned away. Sensing something wrong, Tala turned her face in one hand so she looked into his eyes.

"Is something wrong?" He asked softly.

"It's just... With Boris always after me, I don't know if it's safe for you to be around me. I don't want to see you get hurt, especially after seeing what happened to Genesis."

Tala smiled at her selfless concern.

"I'd rather chance it if it means being with you."

He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, making her gasp slightly, but nonetheless she kissed him back. His hands lifted and rested around her neck as her arms wrapped around his when he kissed her with more passion. Drayea smirked against his lips before playfully pushing him down onto the bed, putting her on top of him. Tala quickly responded by forcefully but gently pushing her over so that he was on top, his arms braced on either side of her head to keep from suffocating the phoenix wielder. The kiss was broken by Tala, who looked down at Drayea. He knew she had been in this position before, and the last thing he wanted to do was spark a replay that might trigger the fight-or-flight instinct. Drayea, sensing his concern, managed a half-smile, and he could see it in her eyes that nothing was wrong. Satisfied with his answer, he leaned down again and captured her lips in a fiery kiss.

Drayea gasped inwardly when she felt Tala's hands move down to her shoulders and gently slide down her sides, stopping at her hips before moving back up again. She responded by curling her fingers into his fiery red hair, almost surprised to feel his tongue on her lips, begging for entrance. Shyly, she gave it to him, gasping when his tongue swept over her lip and explored her mouth, leaving no area unchecked. A soft moan came out of her throat, making Tala smirk against her lips. His hands stopped at her shoulders, gripping them gently. Her hands moved up his chest and undid the clasps of his jacket before removing it and dropping it on the floor, putting Tala in his white, orange and blue pants and a black muscle shirt, likely borrowed from Kai. He wasn't as burly as Bryan, Kai and Spencer, but either way his slender physique was very well toned. They both pulled away after a bit for air, Tala getting up off of Drayea and lying on the bed beside her and wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her back against his chest and burying his face in her soft brown hair. Using the crook of his arm as a pillow, Tala was a bit surprised to feel Drayea place a hand over his before he drifted off.

* * *

Back at the hospital, it took quite a bit of effort to try and get Meridia to stay in her hospital bed. That didn't mean the doctors trying to keep her from moving succeeded. Being as stubborn and iron-willed as Meridia was, she forced herself up to her feet, clad in a change of clothes Brooklyn had brought her with Apocalyptica in her pocket.

"This is crazy Meridia, you can barely stand, how do you expect to fight in this condition?" Brooklyn asked.

"I never said I was fighting."

All that got from Brooklyn was a confused look.

"I have to get back to the BEGA HQ and delete all information regarding the Branzers if I want to save them. It's their only chance."

The door suddenly opened, a dark figure blocking the light.

"That won't be necessary."

Brooklyn stepped protectively in front of Meridia, glowering fiercely at the figure.

"Leviathan, you scum." Meridia snarled.

"Flattery will get you nowhere." She replied offhandedly. "That's not why I'm here. Hand over Apocalyptica and I won't do anything to you or your boyfriend."

"You'll have to go through me and Zeus first."

In a split second, Zeus's blade was out and spinning, prepared to fight. Leviathan shook her head and folded her arms.

"Pathetic. You should know by now that I'm far too powerful to be daunted by mere child's play."

She looked up.

"Besides, everyone knows the big sister always wins."

Meridia narrowed her eyes, unable to believe what she had just heard Leviathan say.

"Not going quietly, eh? Fine."

* * *

Drayea sleepily opened her eyes some time later, habitually starting to get up when she was pulled back down, followed by a soft, sleepy groan from a male voice. Looking over her shoulder, she was a bit surprised to see Tala still there with one arm locked around her waist. Try as she might, trying to get loose only made Tala tighten his vice-like grip.

"Dammit..." She swore under her breath.

"Why must you keep moving?"

Drayea looked over at Tala again to see one topaz-blue eye opened and looking at her sleepily.

"Has anyone ever told you what a death grip you have?" She asked snidely.

Tala only responded with a smirk and pulled her closer so that he was speaking right into her ear.

"Shame though. I was really comfy right here."

"Aw, my poor widdle ickle Tala-kins..." She mocked with a stomach-turning baby voice.

Tala had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.

"If you ever use that nauseating voice again, I swear I will hang you with your own innards."

"Lovely mental image. Thanks." She replied derisively.

"Any time."

"Oh, you..."

Before Drayea could react, Tala pulled her very close, making her hands rest on his chest while managing to make her face him. The phoenix wielder blushed at the close proximity, making the wolf force back a smirk.

"Oh, you're so enjoying this." She growled.

The comment only made Tala smirk openly.

"What if I am?"

"Jerk."

Tala's smirk broadened.

"And don't you forget it."

Drayea sighed in mock defeat and rested her head against his chest.

"Well, I guess I can live with you being a jerk." She murmured with her eyes closed.

"I guess I can live with you being… weird."

Drayea looked up, eyes glinting playfully.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"How many girls- or people for that matter- do you know who can drive me off the deep end with an antic as small and insignificant as nailing me with a snowball?"

"True."

"Point made."

Drayea just smirked.

* * *

"Branzer Project captured."

Boris looked to the doorway at the monotonous voice. Branzer Leviathan had an unconscious Branzer Genesis slung over her shoulder. Judging by the scratch marks on Leviathan's face, Genesis hadn't gone down without a struggle. Typical.

"Which one should I get next?"

Boris smirked.

"Maybe you should pay an old friend of ours a visit."

* * *

**Meanwhile…. **

"HA! I win again!"

Ian scowled at the TV screen.

"So tell me Ian, what does it feel like to lose 37 consecutive games of Space Bugs to an 'amateur'?" Drayea taunted as she leaned back on the couch, adding air quotes to the earlier-used insult.

"Shut up."

Tala high-fived the phoenix while Bryan and Spencer smirked at the downfall of the reigning Space Bugs champ. Their fun was interrupted by Drayea suddenly going very, very still and tense, like she felt something.

"Dray? You okay?" Tala asked warily.

"GET DOWN!"

She sprung from the couch, dragging Ian with her and tackling Tala to the ground at the same time as a loud '**BLAM!**' came as the wall on her right exploded.

"Geez, do you have a 6th sense or something?" Ian asked.

"Actually, yes."

The Blitzkrieg Boys got to their feet as the smoke cleared, revealing…

"YOU!" Drayea spat.

The unnamed girl in the doorway smirked.

"Miss me Drayea?"

The girl's eyes fell on Tala, who responded with a death glare, but was cut off when Drayea stepped protectively in front of her team.

"Whoever you are, leave them be." She hissed.

The girl snickered, folding her arms and shutting her eyes as if she were amused by Drayea's words.

"It's Seya if you must know, Branzer Leviathan if you prefer."

Drayea's eyes widened.

"_You're_ Branzer Leviathan?" She asked disbelievingly.

"The one and only, kid."

Before Drayea could react, Leviathan shot forward and tackled her through the far wall and outside into the back, creating a large hole where she hit. Leviathan smirked as she stepped through the wall while Drayea forced herself to her feet despite the pain.

"**Fine**. If it's a fight you want, a fight is what you'll get."

With a fierce war cry, Drayea leapt forward with both hands engulfed in an ice-blue aura, ready to fight. Leviathan charged in response as the two made contact, both swinging incredibly forceful and powerful blows of energy at the other. As strong as Branzer Leviathan was, Drayea had the speed, dexterity and maneuverability as well as some kind of unseen power fueling her instinct to protect her friends.

"C'mon Drayea!" Tala yelled.

The phoenix wielder's eyes blazed red as she switched to pyro powers and Rycarraea's essence took control. The aura around her changed from frost blue to fierce red as she charged and leapt into the air, making a huge arc over her head with a foot before slamming it into the ground, making a huge wave of fire and smoke shoot up, canceling out a bolt of black energy from Leviathan and temporarily blinding her.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

In a massive burst of energy, Drayea aka Renavatio threw both hands forward, launching a huge blast of fire, ash, rock and magma, Rycarraea's Torrid Volcanic Emission attack. The smoke and debris from the resulting explosion cleared finally, and Leviathan was flattened on the ground from the superpowerful blast. Drayea slowly walked over as Leviathan struggled to get up, covered in burns and frostbite.

"I'm only going to say this once, so listen and listen well lest you had plans to come back. I have my memory back, I can merge with either one of my bit beasts, and I can control the power of Black Dranzer. Come back again, and it will be the last thing you ever do." She hissed venomously, eyes glowing a fierce red. Leviathan narrowed her eyes in a death glare before disappearing in a swirling black mist.

A defeated, burned and frostbitten Branzer Leviathan returned to the BEGA HQ, and the fact that there were still three other Branzers aside from Renavatio.

_How could she have become more powerful than me? It can't be possible…But she still beat me…Dammit!_

Frustrated and impatient, she smashed a fist onto her desk, causing it to nearly break in two halves.

_Wait..._ A smirk appeared on her face. _That's it...

* * *

_

Back at the Blitzkrieg Boys' place, Drayea had effortlessly repaired the hole in the wall, but had taken some supplies the team didn't see from a safe in the cellar and retreated there. Hours passed, and the only sounds coming out of there were keys on a laptop being pressed, a metal saw grinding against more metal, and a welding torch's blow.

_Dammit._

Drayea pulled the protective welder's lenses up and skillfully attached the end of one of the two tubes on the metal into its port. It was taking much longer to get this done than she had expected. Turning back to her laptop, she punched in a few more measurements and in return got a few more numbers for something else.

_Perfect._

A knock suddenly came on the door at the top of the cellar stairs.

"Drayea? What are you doing down there, it's been 5 hours." Tala's voice informed her with a hint of concern.

_That long?_

She could hear the door being opened and shut again as footsteps came down the stairs. Without even bothering to look over her shoulder, Drayea took the piece she was working on and fitted it onto the manikin she had designed to have her own measurements, all down to the last millimeter. As said ice wolf reached the bottom of the stairs, she flipped the lenses down and set to work on the next piece.

"Drayea, what in the world could you be working on?"

The phoenix wielder sighed and flipped up the lenses.

"Would you believe me?"

Tala leaned against the wall, arms folded.

"Depends."

Another sigh.

"I'm creating a kind of indestructible titanium alloy armor with Rycarraea's and Kaexalea's essences in it. I'm hoping that it will help me regulate my power and protect me from other attacks as well. It's going to take me a long time before I get it all just right, since I have to get the measurements perfect."

"I see." He looked up at her thoughtfully. "What parts are you making, exactly? Maybe I can be of service."

"I already made the chest plate and left gauntlet, and I still need the right gauntlet, 2 leg guards, 2 shoulder guards, and tailbone armor." (**Sort of like the Ronin Warriors' armor, if you've heard of them. Do an image search on them and try to picture it mechanical.**)

"Man, you _do_ have a long way to go."

Drayea shot him an indignant glare.

"Don't remind me."

Tala looked over to the manikin at the armor. The chest plate had a kind of transparent dark blue orb in the middle of it, and inside that was what looked like the piece of her launcher that held the blade before launch. The same thing was over the hand's guard on the gauntlet.

"What in the world is this?"

Drayea glanced back at the chest plate.

"Oh, that? That's where the bit chip goes. I used the parts of my old launcher and upgraded them so it would hold it in there."

The phoenix flipped the lenses back down and continued working, this time on the right gauntlet and starting from scratch. After only a minute or two of Tala watching her, she sighed and flipped the lenses back up again.

"Look, if you want to help, hook up your laptop to mine and see if you can write a program that will allow me to control this thing with mental commands."

"You got it."


End file.
